Ban Against Gender-Affirming Care For Minors Upheld By United States District Judge

A United States district judge sided with Oklahoma’s new law banning gender-transition surgeries for minors. Now, activist groups, including the ACLU, are saying this is not the end.

The ACLU announced they will appeal the decision, saying, “we will continue our fight in defense of our clients and the constitutional rights of transgender people in Oklahoma and across the country.”

Senate Bill 613 was passed by legislature this year, banning gender-affirming care for minors in the state.

The ACLU and five families in the Tulsa area sued over the new law, calling it unconstitutional.

The judge ruled that minors seeking the care had no fundamental right to the treatment.

The author of SB 613, Toni Hasenbeck, says she believes the law protects Oklahoma children.

“I feel like the court sided with the state of Oklahoma as well as the people of Oklahoma,” Hasenbeck said. “I think it just reiterated that fact, that children probably shouldn’t be in charge of a big decision like that. They’re children.”

Hasenbeck says that this law only bans these surgeries for minors, and that anyone over 18 in the state can still have access to gender-affirming care.

Governor Stitt said in a statement that he is pleased with the court’s decision.

“Here in Oklahoma, we protect our kids,” the statement said. “Plain and simple.”

(Editor's Note: A previous version of this story said that the 'Oklahoma Supreme Court' sided with Oklahoma's new law banning gender-transition surgeries for minors. That was not correct. The ruling came from a United States District Judge. You can read the opinion here.)