Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is facing backlash for his plans to sign House Bill 1125 into law, which would ban gender-affirming care for individuals under 18 in the state. The bill, which won final approval in the Republican-controlled Mississippi Senate, is part of a larger effort in conservative states to restrict transgender rights. Reeves, who in 2021 signed a law to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ or women’s sports, has defended his stance on Twitter, while the ACLU of Mississippi has urged him to veto the measure. Despite protests from transgender teenagers and their families, Mississippi Republicans have long sought to limit children’s access to gender-changing medical treatments.
Reeves took to Twitter, saying:
“Sterilizing and castrating children in the name of new gender ideology is wrong. That plain truth is somehow controversial in today’s world.
I called for us to stop these sick experimental treatments, and I look forward to getting the bill.”
Sterilizing and castrating children in the name of new gender ideology is wrong. That plain truth is somehow controversial in today’s world.
I called for us to stop these sick experimental treatments, and I look forward to getting the bill. pic.twitter.com/zwACERpXSY
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) February 21, 2023
In 2021, Reeves signed a law to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ or women’s sports.
The Republican governor of Utah recently signed a similar ban into law, and judges have temporarily blocked similar laws in Arkansas and Alabama. The bill has been met with protests from transgender teenagers and their families, and the ACLU of Mississippi has urged Reeves to veto the measure.
The goal of limiting children’s access to gender-changing medical treatments has been a goal for Mississippi Republicans for some time – as Republican Sen. Joey Fillingane of Sumrall said during the Senate date in 2022:
“I just want everyone to be very crystal clear: Once you’re 18 if this bill becomes law … this bill would recognize you can have any procedure on your body you want to,”
“So what we’re really talking about here are these procedures for persons 17 years of age and under.”
Heritage Action’s executive director, Jessica Anderson, said in a statement.
“Dangerous cross-sex hormones and experimental surgeries are not a compassionate solution for children struggling with gender dysphoria,”
“These dangerous procedures both fail to address underlying mental health issues and also leave children suffering with irreversible psychological and physical damage for the rest of their lives.”
Sign it, Reeves, and tell the ACLU to go screw.