A controversial bill to overturn Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of gender-affirming care for kids passed the Ohio House.
Ohio House votes to override governor’s veto of gender-affirming care ban for minors (Photo: Google)
Ohio House Defies Governor’s Veto on Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
After the Republican governor said the state shouldn’t make kid medical decisions, the vote was 65-28. Governor DeWine maintains that parents should make such decisions, not the government.
The contentious House Bill 68, the Saving Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act, targets gender-affirming treatment for transgender and nonbinary kids. The bill bans hormone blockers, hormone replacement treatment, and several mental health services. It prohibits transgender athletes from joining girls’ and women’s sports teams. The package will now head to the Republican-led state Senate for another important vote despite the governor’s objections.
According to Governor DeWine’s executive order, minors’ gender-transition procedures are already banned. The governor noted that youngsters seldom undergo such operations. Many medical groups consider gender-affirming care mainstream, which includes evidence-based therapies for transgender and nonbinary people.
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LGBTQ Advocates Applaud Veto, Proponents Argue Limits for Protection”
LGBT supporters welcomed Governor DeWine’s original veto, while proponents say the limits protect women and children. Republican State Representative Gary Click, the bill’s chief proponent, applauded the House result, concerned about a society that pushes adolescents to seek authenticity through medications and surgery.
Transgender rights are contentious, therefore 2023 saw a record amount of anti-LGBTQ measures, notably targeting gender-affirming treatment and sports participation. Ohio will follow North Carolina and Louisiana in overriding a governor’s veto to limit transgender minors if the Senate approves again.
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