Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order on Wednesday aimed at protecting the rights of LGBTQ people in the state, as well as those traveling from other states, to receive gender affirming healthcare. The order comes amidst a wave of legislation in other states that seeks to roll back transgender rights, including more than 150 bills targeting trans rights that have been introduced in other states. Governor Walz has made it clear that Minnesota will not follow suit, as he slammed the tide of other states rolling back transgender rights.
The executive order signed by Walz parallels legislation that is awaiting a floor vote in the state House to make Minnesota a “trans refuge state” by protecting trans people, families, and care providers from a range of legal repercussions for traveling to Minnesota for gender affirming care. This includes a wide range of social and medical interventions. The bill, authored by Democratic Rep. Leigh Finke, would prohibit the state from enforcing court orders or child protection laws from other states if they interfere with a person’s right to seek gender affirming care in Minnesota.
The order is a significant move for LGBTQ people across the nation, as recent efforts in other states, including Oklahoma and Tennessee, seek to prohibit gender affirming medical care for trans children and pass other anti-trans legislation. Conservatives have criticized the order, arguing that it will hurt vulnerable children instead of helping them. However, advocates for LGBTQ rights argue that Republican-led states across the country are trying to erase the legal existence of people who are trans and to restrict the expression of those who are nonbinary, gender-fluid, or who perform in drag.
Minnesota is not the only state taking action to protect the rights of LGBTQ people. A separate bill banning so-called conversion therapy for LGBTQ children and vulnerable adults won approval in the Minnesota House last month and is awaiting a floor vote in the Senate. Dr. Kelsey Leonardsmith, who runs clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul that serve transgender youth, including families that have relocated from restrictive states, says that all children deserve to thrive and that access to lifesaving gender affirming care is under threat in statehouses around the country.
In the face of these challenges, Minnesota is taking a stand for LGBTQ rights, recognizing the importance of protecting access to gender affirming health care for all individuals. With this executive order, Governor Walz is sending a clear message that Minnesota is a welcoming and supportive state that values the safety and wellbeing of all its citizens.
