Montana Governor Signs Bill Banning Transgender Surgeries for Children

Montana Governor Signs Bill Restricting Transgender Procedures for Minors

Montana’s Republican Governor, Greg Gianforte, has signed a bill that restricts transgender procedures for minors. The “Youth Health Protection Act” prohibits certain medical and surgical procedures, including puberty blockers, for children struggling with gender dysphoria.

The legislation aims to protect minors from “any form of pressure to receive harmful, experimental puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and to undergo irreversible, life-altering surgical procedures” before they reach adulthood.

Gianforte’s press secretary, Kaitlin Price, said in a statement that the governor is “committed to protecting Montana children from invasive medical treatments that can permanently alter their healthy, developing bodies.”

The bill is set to become law on October 1, adding Montana to a growing list of around a dozen states that have passed similar laws protecting minors from potentially life-altering procedures framed by their supporters as “gender-affirming care.”

Opponents Vow Legal Action

Opponents of the measure, including Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, have said they will take legal action against the legislation.

However, Gianforte has met with transgender youth and adults and sympathized with their struggles. He wrote in a letter to legislative leaders that any surgeries or treatments with hormones should wait until they’re adults as the science around the impact of various gender transition procedures remains unsettled and continues to evolve.

Why the Bill is Controversial

• The bill prohibits certain medical and surgical procedures for children struggling with gender dysphoria.
• Opponents argue that gender-affirming care is a critical part of helping transgender adolescents succeed in school and establish healthy relationships with their friends.
• Supporters of the bill argue that it protects minors from potentially life-altering procedures that are still being studied and may have long-term consequences.

Regardless of the controversy, the bill has been signed into law and will take effect in Montana on October 1.