In a move expected by many, Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin has vetoed a bill that aimed to outlaw gender transition treatments for minors. The bill, passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature in October, would have prohibited gender transition surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone treatments using estrogen and testosterone for minors in the state.
Governor Evers, a Democrat, had previously made it clear that he would strike down any proposals he deemed harmful to LGBTQ+ youth. In his veto message, Evers stated, “This type of legislation, and the rhetoric beget by pursuing it, harms LGBTQ people and kids’ mental health, emboldens anti-LGBTQ hate and violence, and threatens the safety and dignity of LGBTQ Wisconsinites. I will veto any bill that makes Wisconsin a less safe, less inclusive, and less welcoming place for LGBTQ people and kids.”
The bill had received support from Republican lawmakers who argued that medical opinions on gender transition treatments could change in the future and that the current treatments could be irreversible. Republican Senator Duey Stroebel expressed disappointment in the governor’s decision, stating, “Protecting children from invasive and irreversible medical interventions is the right thing to do from both a scientific and ethical standpoint.”
Public hearings on the bill earlier this year saw dozens of people testifying, with opinions on both sides of the issue. Similar laws to the one vetoed by Governor Evers exist in at least 22 other states, many of which are also facing lawsuits.
This veto comes amidst ongoing discussions and debates surrounding gender-affirming care for minors, with cases like the recent lawsuit filed by a woman in Wisconsin who alleges that she underwent gender-transition surgeries without proper consent as a teenager.
While Governor Evers’ veto was anticipated, it serves as a reminder of the divide between Democrats and Republicans on issues related to LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare for minors. The topic of gender transition treatments continues to be a controversial and significant subject in state legislatures across the United States.
