S. Dakota lawmakers push bill to bar transgender youth care

By AMANCAI BIRABEN
Associated Press

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Republican state Rep. Bethany Soye’s bill that would restrict healthcare to transgender individuals below the age of 18 passed through a House committee on health and human services Tuesday morning with a dominant vote, joining at least 18 other states with similar legislation. Soye raised this bill as a matter of consent. Testimonies in support for the bill argued transgender surgeries were regrettable decisions made as teens or early adults, harmful medical experiments or unethical cures to gender dysphoria that should be left to “normal.” Opponents criticized the bill on the grounds of civil rights infringements and overreach into personal healthcare decisions.