A law may come into effect in the American state of Idaho that would criminalize the medical treatment of transgender young people. The US Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the law, passed in 2023, can go into effect despite an ongoing lawsuit.
The Supreme Court in Washington did not itself rule on the constitutionality of the law, but simply lifted a block because of the ongoing lawsuit against it.
You can be jailed for up to 10 years
The highly controversial law criminalizes the administration of puberty blockers or sex hormones, as well as sex reassignment operations to minors. Doctors who continue to treat transgender youth face a prison sentence of up to ten years.
About 20 US states have already passed laws restricting medical care for transgender youth. The Republicans want to score points with their conservative electorate. However, US President Joe Biden’s Democrats condemn the laws as a violation of the fundamental rights of those affected.
The civil rights groups ACLU also criticized the Supreme Court’s decision on the Idaho law. The ruling will have “terrible” consequences for transgender youth and their families, the organization said. It allows the US state of Idaho to cut off health care “on which thousands of families depend, while creating more confusion and unrest.”
Warning for “dangerous drugs”
Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador called the ruling a “major victory to protect vulnerable children.” The law ensures “that children are not exposed to these dangerous drugs and procedures,” he explained on the online service. The conservatively governed state in the northwestern US also has one of the strictest abortion laws in the country.
Dealing with children and young people whose physical sexual characteristics do not match their perceived gender identity is also highly controversial in other countries. A comprehensive, independent study was published in Britain last week advising “extreme caution” when using hormone therapy for gender reassignment in minors.
Source: Krone
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