Two Ohio lawmakers are set to introduce a bill that would make transgender youth medical procedures illegal.
In soon-to-be introduced legislation by Ron Hood (R-Pickaway County) and Bill Dean (R-Dayton area) would prevent children under 18 from taking puberty blockers – powerful drugs taken to postpone growth – and undergoing transition surgery.
The measure may also include a criminal penalty for doctors who perform these procedures.
“What we’re trying to accomplish in this bill is that these procedures cannot be done. It would cause sterilization, irreparable damage to children that can’t be reversed,” Hood said at a press conference Tuesday. “That’s what makes this such a problem. Decisions made in childhood that are very, very permanent and cause sterilization cannot be reversed.”
President of Citizens for Community Values Aaron Baer told the Columbus Dispatch he “likened” the proposal to a Kentucky law that can charge doctors with felonies if they prescribe hormonal drugs or perform surgeries on children.
In addition, Baer, whose organization is helping draft this legislation, told cleveland.com that the government intervenes in many aspects of public health.
“There are plenty of areas where the government says this is so egregious, this is so dangerous to children that we have to intervene and protect,” he said.
In 2018, CCV helped write HB 658, which would have given parents a veto over their child’s pursuit of a sex change. The bill did not advance.
States like Florida, Missouri and Colorado have proposed similar pieces of legislation. Recently, South Dakota tried and failed to pass a similar bill this month to ban transgender treatments for children.
Equality Ohio, who an organization that advocates for transgender people, released a statement condemning the upcoming bill.
“The bill ignores the fundamental reality of medical care for transgender youth,” the organization said. “Current best medical care practices involve a holistic approach to each individual including a multidisciplinary team and affirming care. Occasionally, puberty is delayed until young people are old enough to make their own decisions about their lived gender.”
In terms of health, many side effects exist in people that undergo hormonal therapy treatment. Leuprolide Acetate is one of the most common drugs administered to “pause” puberty in girls. Marketed under the name “Lupron,” some patients taking the drug have had fatal consequences, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Of the 20,432 adverse cases the FDA documented by patients who experienced adverse reactions since 2005, 8,319 were considered “serious” – including 1,768 deaths. So far in 2020, 18 “adverse reactions” have been reported.
Watch Tuesday’s press conference here.
– – –
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media. If you have any tips, email Zachery at [email protected].
