Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has introduced a new executive order that significantly impacts transgender individuals in the state. This order prevents hospitals from performing gender-affirming surgeries on minors. This decision follows DeWine’s recent veto of a bill that sought to ban all gender-affirming medical treatments for minors and prohibit transgender females from participating in female sports.
The executive order has sparked a wave of responses, as it appears to preempt potential legislative actions by the state’s Republican majority. Additionally, DeWine announced upcoming draft rules from the Ohio Department of Health and the Department of Health and Addiction Services. These rules aim to regulate gender-affirming care for adults, ensuring the involvement of a multidisciplinary team and comprehensive care plans, including mental health counseling.
DeWine’s focus is on preventing unregulated providers from dispensing hormones to adults without adequate psychiatric care. However, he acknowledges the lack of evidence for rampant “fly-by-night operations” in Ohio. The governor’s measures also require healthcare providers to report anonymized data on gender dysphoria cases and treatments.
Despite not encountering families seeking gender-affirming surgeries for minors, DeWine emphasizes precautionary measures. His actions come as Republican lawmakers in Ohio prepare to potentially override his veto of the anti-trans bill, raising questions about the future of transgender healthcare in the state.