Mississippi Transgender Healthcare Ban

The Mississippi Senate has voted in favor of HB1125 a bill that prohibits transgender-related healthcare in Mississippi for people under the age of 18. This means that care such as gender-affirming hormone therapy & puberty blockers would be inaccessible for any trans person 17 & younger. The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Tate Reeves & if he signs it the bill will take effect immediately. Jensen Luke Matar, Executive Director of The TRANS Program stated, “Mississippi lawmakers are insisting that they know what’s best for transgender youth & ignoring the recommendations of every major medical association. Patients, along with their health care providers – not politicians – should decide what medical care is in the best interest of a patient. I know from years of working directly with trans youth in Mississippi that they need support, love & affirmation – not this brazen political attack that cuts off their access to life-saving care.” Lea Campbell, President of the Mississippi Rising Coalition concluded, “My heart breaks for trans youth & all of their loved ones who are being targeted by this heinous attack on their dignity & access to basic healthcare. We are eager to support, with the financial, emotional & logistical toll of this bill’s passage & we urge the families of trans young people to get in touch with the coalition for support.” So far this year Utah & South Dakota have passed similar anti-transgender laws joining previously-passed laws in Alabama & Arkansas which are both currently on hold by court orders. Data from The Williams Institute show that at least 99,000 LGBTQ people above the age of 16 live in Mississippi & approximately 13,500 adults in Mississippi identify as transgender.

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