Idaho Senate Votes To Ban Youth Trans Surgery

In an emotional vote, the Idaho Senate voted 22-12 to ban transgender surgery for minors. The bill now moves to the Idaho House, where many political experts believe it will pass. If the House passes the bill, it will be up to Governor Little to decide if he will sign the legislation. 

Transgender surgery has been a flashpoint for politics and talk radio for the last several years. We covered the move by the House to pass a similar ban last month; you can read about it here. If passed, minors will not be allowed access to cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, or gender-confirmation surgery. The Vulnerable Child Protective Act would also make it a felony for medical providers to perform any of those procedures. 

Regardless of whether the bill becomes law in Idaho, the trans issue will remain a significant point of contention during the following local, state, and national political cycle. Proponents of the legislation point out that minors cannot vote, drink, get tattoos, so why not have medical restrictions on any type of gender transformative surgery.