Arkansas Gov. vetoes ban on treatments in transgender youth

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson Monday vetoed legislation, which would have made his state the first to ban gender confirming hormone treatments or surgery for transgender youth, US media reported.

The Republican, who passed an anti-Trans sports bill a few weeks back, rejected the bill that will prohibit doctors from providing gender confirming hormone treatment, surgery or puberty blockers to anyone under 18 years of age, or even from referring them to other providers for the treatment, according to Bloomberg reports.

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Activists, doctors, parents of transgender youth got on the streets to plea against the passing of the bill and argued that the measure would harm the trans community that is already at risk for depression and suicide.

The state-wide uproar from all quarters led to Hutchinson vetoing the legislation.

However, the Republican Legislature can still implement the measure, given only a simple majority is required to overrule a governor’s veto in the American state of Arkansas.

Members of the Republican party have been pushing similar anti-transgender legislation, in GOP-dominated states. Earlier, Hutchinson banned transgender women and girls from competing in school sports teams consistent with their gender identity after signing a similar bill. 

Republican-led states of Mississippi and Tennessee also signed similar anti-trans laws.

Recently, Hutchinson also signed a measure allowing doctors to refuse to treat someone citing moral or religious objections, a law that critics have said could be largely used to turn away LGBTQ patients.