South Dakota GOP Bans Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Youth
challenging a similar law in Utah.Under the bill, doctors are prohibited from providing various forms of gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, hormones, and surgical treatments, to minors.
Supporters claim such restrictions are needed to protect children from pursuing irreversible transition-related treatments that they may later grow to regret.“We need to stand in the gap for vulnerable children and guide them towards true health and healing,” Sen.
Al Novstrup (R-Aberdeen) said. He also rebutted criticisms of the bill by noting that any individual who is determined to transition need only wait until they reach the age of 18, at which point they can make their own decisions, reports the Argus Leader.During debate on the Senate floor, two amendments were offered.
The first, offer by Sen. Tim Reed (R-Brookings), would have amended the bill to allow children to access puberty blockers while still banning hormone treatments and surgery, which he believed would help reduce suicidal ideation among trans-identifying youth.“Puberty blockers can calm a child [with] anxiety so that counseling can begin,” Reed argued. “Blockers have a place helping families navigate through an extremely difficult situation.
