Washington, Apr 28 (EFE).- The US state of Montana this Friday became the last in a series of territories governed by conservatives to approve restrictions on access to gender change treatments for minors.
The governor of the state, the Republican Greg Gianforte, today ratified a norm that prohibits trans minors from accessing transitional treatments with hormones or surgery, as do states such as Florida, Tennessee or Alabama.
The decision comes after the territory’s Republican lawmakers agreed two days ago to censure Montana’s first transgender state representative, Zooey Zephir, who had opposed the bill.
The Democratic legislator will be able to participate remotely in the voting, but will not have the right to speak until the end of the current legislative period, at the end of April, according to local media.
The Montana Congressional decision to censure Zephyr came two days after a protest for the rights of transgender and sexually diverse people disrupted state house proceedings. Republican lawmakers accused Zephyr of inciting the demonstration.
Since last week, in fact, he has not been allowed to speak on the floor, after he said that Republican lawmakers would have “blood on their hands” if they approved the anti-trans bill ratified this Friday.
These types of laws that aim to restrict minors’ access to gender-affirming care – as they are known in the US – have recently become popular in conservative-ruled states of the country.
Fifteen states have already prohibited or restricted this type of medical treatment by law, according to data from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Conservatives argue that the measures are aimed at preventing young people from making irreversible decisions that they may later regret.
However, there are few studies on the long-term effect of this type of treatment in minors. Many Democratic legislators, for their part, warn of the risk of stigmatizing a community that already often suffers high levels of discrimination and abuse.
In addition, organizations that defend LGBT rights fear that the situation could lead more trans youth to suicide, since they are among the most vulnerable groups.
The main medical associations agree that gender affirmation treatments are appropriate for adults and young people who suffer from gender dysphoria, reports The Hill.
