Mississippi has become the latest state to pass a bill that restricts access to gender-affirming care for minors. If signed by Governor Tate Reeves, the bill would prohibit minors under the age of 18 from receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy and puberty blockers, making Mississippi the fifth state to implement such a law. Supporters of the bill argue that minors should wait until they are adults to make decisions about gender-affirming care, while critics, including major medical associations and LGBTQ activists, say that such care can be “life-saving” for transgender youth who already face higher risks of suicide, substance abuse, bullying, and poor mental health outcomes due to discrimination.
The bill has faced significant opposition, including protests and calls for Reeves to veto it. Critics, like Jensen Luke Matar, Executive Director of The TRANS Program in Mississippi, argue that the decision of whether to receive gender-affirming care should be left to patients and their healthcare providers, not politicians. Major medical associations recommend gender-affirming care, with the American Medical Association calling it “medically necessary.” Critics argue that lawmakers are ignoring the recommendations of these organizations and making decisions that could have severe negative consequences for the health and well-being of transgender youth.
Mississippi has already faced criticism for passing an anti-trans sports bill in 2021 that barred transgender girls from playing on teams that align with their gender identity. The passing of this new bill has only further stoked tensions between LGBTQ advocates and the state’s lawmakers. As the battle over the bill continues, the fate of gender-affirming care for minors in Mississippi hangs in the balance.
