Oklahoma Seeks to Criminalize Gender-Affirming Care Up to Age 21
An Oklahoma legislator has filed a bill that would make it a felony to provide gender-affirming health care for anyone under age 21.Republican Rep.
Jim Olsen’s House Bill 1101 “would prohibit health care professionals from providing, attempting to provide or making referrals for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and gender-reassignment surgeries,” the Tulsa World reports.
Violation would come with a felony charge, and conviction would result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years and/or a fine of up to $100,000.Public funds, including those from the state Medicaid program, could not be used to pay for gender transition procedures for people under 21.“It’s irresponsible for anybody in health care to provide or recommend life-altering surgeries that may later be regretted,” Olsen told the World. “We know there are some people who undergo the gender transition process and later identify as their biological sex.
Performing irreversible procedures on young people can do irreparable harm to them mentally and physically later in life.”Actually, studies have indicated that regret about transition is rare.
