OutKick host Tomi Lahren discusses the recent controversy surrounding transgender golfer Hailey Davidson and the issue of biological advantage in women’s sports. Ohio has become the latest state to ban “gender-affirming care” for minors and impose restrictions on transgender women and girls participating in sports. Despite Republican Governor Mike DeWine’s initial veto, the state’s Republican-dominated Senate voted to override it. The new law prohibits sex reassignment surgeries and hormone therapies for transgender individuals under the age of 18. Additionally, it bans transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports teams at both K-12 and collegiate levels.
With Ohio joining as the 24th state to implement restrictions on transgender athletes, Arkansas and Tennessee were the first states to introduce such limits in 2021. Currently, at least 22 states have passed laws that either restrict or ban sex reassignment treatment for transgender minors. The majority of these laws are concentrated in the South, with a few in the Midwest. Unfortunately, 35% of transgender youth in the United States live in states with bans on transgender medical treatment, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
Florida has also taken a similar stance by making it a felony for healthcare providers to administer sex reassignment treatments. However, the state allows minors who were already undergoing puberty blocking or hormone therapies to continue with their treatment. Former President Donald Trump has expressed his intent to make transgender medical treatments illegal if reelected.
Governor DeWine faced criticism from his own party for his veto decision, but he defended it by stating that his stance is rooted in a pro-life perspective. He emphasized the importance of protecting human life, citing testimonies from parents and adults who credit these medical treatments for saving lives and preventing suicides.
Ohio’s new law is set to take effect in approximately 90 days. The controversial issue surrounding transgender athletes and gender-affirming care continues to spark debates across the nation.
