New Laws Restrict Transgender Sports Participation and Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
The Republican-controlled Senate in Ohio voted to override GOP Governor Mike DeWine’s veto, passing a new law that significantly alters how transgender individuals, especially adolescents, are treated.
The policy introduces a number of stringent measures and is expected to go into effect in about 90 days. It restricts transgender youths’ access to mental health care by forbidding gender-affirming procedures and hormone treatment for individuals under the age of 18. The law also prohibits transgender women and girls from participating in girls’ and women’s sports teams at both the K–12 and collegiate levels.
The Senate’s override, which was approved 24 to 8 along primarily party lines, highlights the stark disparity in opinion on this matter. Democratic Senator Nathan Manning from Cuyahoga County broke with his party and emphasized the divisive nature of the decision.
For families with transgender children, the new legislation presents challenges and forces them to make tough decisions. Some individuals are considering moving due to the legislation’s effects. Scaglione and her partner are contemplating leaving Ohio despite having recently relocated to a safer area because they don’t feel at home there.
Governor DeWine defended his decision as a measure to stop government overreach in clinical decisions, despite opposition from his party for vetoing the policy. However, he did sign an executive order earlier in January that forbade gender-affirming procedures for individuals under the age of 18, in defiance of assurances from medical practitioners that they do not take place in the state. Ohio’s ongoing legislative and executive actions highlight the difficult and emotionally charged nature of trans rights and healthcare decisions.
