Oklahoma bans gender-affirming care for kids


Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) has officially signed a bill banning gender-affirming health care for children under 18 into law. Senate Bill 613 prohibits "gender transition procedures for children" under threat of "administrative, criminal, and civil enforcement," meaning medical workers who provide said care could potentially face a felony charge.
Oklahoma is one of at least 15 other states, including Tennesee and Montana, to ban gender-affirming health care for minors. After the signing, Stitt said in a news release that he was "thrilled" about this step to "protect our kids." "We cannot turn a blind eye to what's happening across our nation," he added. "I am proud to stand up for what's right and ban life-altering transition surgeries on children in the state of Oklahoma."
Gender-affirming health care has been proven to result in more favorable outcomes for transgender youth. According to the American Psychiatric Association, "psychological attempts to force a transgender person to be cisgender ... are considered unethical and have been linked to adverse mental health outcomes." Such care "may include pubertal suppression for adolescents with gender dysphoria and gender-affirming hormones like estrogen and testosterone for older adolescents and adults."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A number of civil rights groups have condemned Oklahoma's decision, including Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU of Oklahoma, all of which released a joint statement on the matter: "Transgender youth in Oklahoma deserve the support and care necessary to give them the same chance to thrive as their peers."
"Gender-affirming care is a critical part of helping transgender adolescents succeed, establish healthy relationships with their friends and family, live authentically as themselves, and dream about their futures," the groups added.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
France and Indonesia promote a contentious bid for an Israel-Palestine two-state solution
Talking Points Both countries have said a two-state solution is the way to end the Middle East conflict
-
Film reviews: Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning, Lilo & Stitch, and Final Destination: Bloodlines
Feature Tom Cruise risks life and limb to entertain us, a young girl befriends a destructive alien, and death stalks a family that resets fate's toll.
-
Music reviews: Morgan Wallen and Kali Uchis
Feature "I'm the Problem" and "Sincerely"
-
Trump pauses all new foreign student visas
speed read The State Department has stopped scheduling interviews with those seeking student visas in preparation for scrutiny of applicants' social media
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges
-
Germany lifts Kyiv missile limits as Trump, Putin spar
speed read Russia's biggest drone and missile attacks of the war prompted Trump to post that Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'