Increase in ban for youth gender-affirming care

Restrictions in gender-affirming care for trans youth have continued to increase in multiple states.

Gender-affirmed care is defined as a form of health care that consists of an array of services, which may include medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services, for nonbinary and transgender people.

Many political figures have expressed concern about the lack of data when it comes to the long-term effects of gender-affirming care, which, among other reasons, has led to it being banned for minors within many states.

Since 2023, 25 states have banned gender-affirming surgery for youth in the country. States such as Arizona and Alabama passed bans that prohibited the surgery before the wide passing of bans in 2023.

For example, Republican Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill banning all gender-affirming care for minors in April of 2023.

Another example would be in Ohio, where in April 2025, Republican Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order banning Ohio citizens from getting gender-affirming surgeries until they turn 18.

A more recent example of the bans would be in Kansas, where on Feb. 17 of this year, the Kansas legislature voted to successfully override Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s latest veto of a measure to ban gender-affirming care for minors.

In another recent turn of events on the issue, on Jan. 28, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that looked to cut federal support for gender-affirming care for those under 19.

Nikolai Wagner is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To email him, contact njw5648@psu.edu.