Parents rights advocates are urging Republican lawmakers to overturn Democrat Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ veto of a bill banning sex changes for minors.
HB 648 bans doctors from providing sex change treatments — including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex change surgeries — to children under 18 years old. Doctors who defy the order risk losing their medical license.
In a statement explaining his veto, Edwards said the bill “takes away parental rights to work with a physician to make important healthcare decisions.” (RELATED: Gavin Newsom Vows To Circumvent School Board, Buy Students Banned Book)
But parental rights advocates say that the bill could protect children from operations that can be dangerous and irreversible.
“The Louisiana legislature has an historic opportunity to save many children from lifelong medical problems, such as infertility, poor bone development, and other complications of hormonal and surgical therapies,” Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, chairman of Do No Harm, said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller. “Major European nations have come to see that the American model of gender affirming care is not based on scientific information but is based on the opinion of a number of activists both in and outside the medical profession. Do No Harm urges the Louisiana legislature to override the Governor’ s unfortunate veto and save children from harm.”
Louisiana Gov. Jon Bel Edwards (D) vetoed three bills targeting the LGBTQ community on Friday, including a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors that he called “targeted assault on children that the bill itself deems ‘not normal.’” https://t.co/syZxBCEJlY
— The Hill (@thehill) July 1, 2023
Republicans in the Louisiana state legislature hold a supermajority as of March 2023. Following a party registration change from Rep. Francis Thompson, Republicans gained a veto-proof majority in both the state Senate and House.
“Every child deserves the right to a healthy and supported childhood, free from irreversible medical interventions that can have devastating lifelong consequences. As a parent advocate at Do No Harm, I strongly urge the Louisiana legislature to promptly vote to override the veto on House Bill 648,” mother and parental rights activist January LittleJohn said.
“By passing this bill, we can ensure vulnerable children will be protected from making irreversible choices before they have the emotional maturity and cognitive capacity to fully understand the long-term implications. The Louisiana legislature needs to have the courage to put the welfare of children before politics and be on the right side of history when it comes to the treatment of children with gender dysphoria,” she added.