The Ohio Senate passed a piece of legislation on Wednesday that bans children from receiving transgender surgeries, while also prohibiting biological males from being able to participate in women’s sports, which means the bill will now head to the desk of GOP Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature. Isn’t it sad we need to make this a law? Common sense used to prevail in our nation, a long, long time ago. Alas, it seems those days are behind us. Let us hope it’s not too late to turn back the clock and bring it back. Hey, if 70s and 80s fashion can come back in vogue, why not the values of yesterday as well?
According to the Daily Wire, “The Senate passed the bill 24-8, with all but one Republican voting for the measure. The bill would ban surgeries such as double mastectomies on girls who identify as boys and other genital procedures for children with gender dysphoria. It also bans the prescription of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for children, though the bill contains an exception for kids already on the medication. Cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers have been associated with numerous health risks, including loss of bone development, fertility issues, and heart problems.”
Matt Huffman, the president of the Ohio Senate, commented on the bill, stating it was necessary in order to keep kids safe from treatments that could have a negative impact on them later down the road. I mean, mutilating a person’s genitals has that sort of effect regardless of age, however, it seems to me that an age specific ban only makes sense. If a kid under the age of 18 cannot vote, join the military, or drink alcohol because we do not believe they have the mental development to fully understand the ramifications of their actions, why in the world would we make it okay for them to make a permanent life-altering decision such as removal of their breasts or genitals? It doesn’t make sense.
“Certainly the parents are the most important decision-maker in a child’s life. But there are things where it’s important for the state to step in and protect the child,” Huffman stated.
The legislation also creates a number of protections for the parents of children who are struggling with gender dysphoria and who do not want to allow them to undergo “transition” procedures or treatments. The new bill was sponsored by GOP Rep. Gary Click.
Check out more from the report:
Morgan Keller, a “detransitioner,” who testified before Ohio lawmakers in favor of the legislation, praised passage of the bill.
“Children everywhere deserve to grow up with their bodies and endocrine systems intact,” she said. “The passing of [the legislation] is a significant step in fighting against an ideology that says otherwise.”
DeWine has not yet said whether he will sign the bill, saying his office needed to look over the measure first. He previously criticized a bill that would ban males from competing in women’s sports.
“This issue is best addressed outside of government through individual sports leagues and athletic associations, including the Ohio High School Athletic Association, who can tailor policies to meet the needs of their member athletes and member institutions,” DeWine went on to say in a statement delivered back in June 2021.
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If the Ohio governor were to exercise his veto power, then Republicans in the state government would be able to sidestep it since they enjoy a supermajority in both houses. A total of 20 other states have passed laws designed to protect kids from these kind of surgeries and treatments.