- By James Kravitz
- (General Dispatch) Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on Monday categorically rejected legislation that would prevent transgender youth from receiving treatment and surgeries. One of the first states to enact the legislation.
- The Republican governor clearly and forcefully stated Monday that barring doctors from providing gender-confirming hormone treatment and surgery to children under the age of 18 is a step backward.
- Although the legislature has the power to pass the bill into law, it encroaches on the rights enshrined in the Constitution, the governor said.
- The legislation is seen by many as an act of discrimination and an obstruction for doctors and parents to establish agreements that satisfy the wishes of young people when choosing their gender identity.
- However, the governor’s stance follows recommendations received from a group of professionals, including pediatricians, psychiatrists, and social workers who support the transgender community.
- Supporters of the measure did not offer further details about the votes they have, as well as what will happen to the young people who are undergoing hormone treatment.
- For their part, leaders of the transgender community warned that actions such as these should be considered in all the states of the country, in order to guarantee human rights.
- In conclusion, it will ultimately be up to the Arkansas State Legislature to determine whether the bill will become law in the coming days, a decision that must be followed by Governor Hutchinson.
Adittional Information:
Breitbart: Arkansas governor vetoes transgender youth treatment ban
NPR: Arkansas Governor Vetoes Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Trans Youth
