After nearly five hours of emotional testimony, a Louisiana legislative committee advanced a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors Tuesday.
The House Health and Welfare Committee advanced House Bill 463, by Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, on a 14-3 vote.
Democratic Reps. Jason Hughes of New Orleans and Larry Selders of Baton Rouge and Republican Rep. Joe Stagni of Kenner opposed the bill. Several other Democrats on the committee supported the proposal.
Firement’s bill would ban all gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors. Irreversible procedures such as top surgery, which adds or removes breast tissue, and reversible treatments like puberty blockers would fall under the ban.
Doctors treating minors already under an ongoing course of treatment would have until the end of this year to cease treatments and wean their patients off their hormones.
In his opening statement, Firment said his bill was not about hate but rather about protecting children from what he considers to be experimental treatments. Several doctors who testified pushed back on the idea that the treatments are experimental, pointing to the large body of research that supports the growing field of medicine.
Firment also said he thinks gender dysphoria should purely be treated as a mental health issue, but later said he does not trust mental health providers who support gender-affirming treatments.
The hearing included testimony from dozens of transgender people, gender-affirming healthcare providers and parents of transgender youths who spoke in favor of the bill.
