Where gender-affirming care for minors is being outlawed

In 14 U.S. states, laws banning or limiting gender-affirming health care for those under the age of 18 are currently in effect. After the high-profile case of Georgia in March, similar bills were passed in Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky and Missouri, among others. Bans in three more states – Idaho, Louisiana and West Virginia – are expected to go into effect on January 1. They remain temporarily blocked in Florida, Montana, Alabama and Indiana.

While Georgia continues to allow the use of puberty blockers, but not hormone therapy, most other states ban all gender-affirming care for those under the age of 18. Arizona has only outlawed surgical procedures, while remaining trans healthcare for minors is now protected under a so-called shield law.

Existing bans were renewed or tightened in Arkansas and Tennessee – the first two states to put limits on gender-affirming care for minors back in 2021. Arizona’s and Alabama’s bans date back to 2022. In Florida, the decision to ban was made by the state’s board of medicine before this became a matter for the courts which issued a temporary injunction.

Many U.S. states have also been persuing other types of anti-trans and anti-LGBT laws. This includes bans on drag shows for minors – where Tennessee was the first state to finalize such a ban in early March -, bans on trans people using certain bathrooms, their participation in sports and more. While bans of gender-affirming care for minors failed in Virgin5ia and Wyoming, the latter state in the beginning of the year passed a ban on transgender athletes competing consistent with their gender identity. Yet, these bills are just examples of many being proposed and passed.

While trans persons transition medically at many different ages, there are many that chose to live as a sex different from the one assigned at birth even as children. For this group, transitioning during their teenage years and taking puberty blockers is an often-pursued approach. Most bills in questions would prevent this and also delay a medical transition procedure – using hormones and surgery – until after puberty.