Texas becomes 17th state to ban transgender care for minors trends now
Texas has become the 17th state to outlaw gender-affirming care for teenagers.
Republican Governor Greg Abbot signed a bill Friday banning puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery for under-18s wishing to transition.
Medical providers who violate the law — set to come into force from September 1 — could have their licenses revoked.
Texas is the largest state to bring in the restrictions to date, being the second largest nationwide and has a large transgender community. Opposition groups have already blasted the law as 'jeopardizing' healthcare and vowed to file a lawsuit.
The above map shows the 20 states where restrictions on transgender care for minors have been brought in. Three of the states that have had their care bans suspended, which are Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alabama
Republican Congressman and author of the bill Tom Oliverson heralded the governor's signing as 'protecting' children.
He said on Twitter, responding to the move: 'Children in Texas are officially protected from harmful, experimental medical and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria.'
But activists have hit back. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas (ACLU) slammed lawmakers, saying they were 'hellbent on joining the growing roster of states determined to jeopardize the health and lives of transgender youth'.
They added that this was 'in direct opposition to the overwhelming body of scientific and medical evidence'.
'Transgender youth in Texas deserve the support and care necessary to give them the same chance to thrive as their peers,' a spokesperson said.
The Texas law — called Senate Bill 14 — incorporates exceptions to the bans for minors who began treatment before June 1 or those who attended 12 or more sessions of mental health counseling or psychotherapy for at least six months.
But it says these patients should be 'weaned off' the prescription drugs over an undefined 'time period'.
The measures were inserted by lawmakers in the hopes of avoiding lawsuits against the ban.
Estimates suggest there are about 29,800 under-18s who identify as transgender in Texas — the third highest number in the US behind New York and California.
The state also ordered child welfare officials to investigate reports of children receiving transgender care as child abuse. A
