Alabama lawmakers passed a bill on Thursday that would criminalize gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth, with a threat of 10 years in prison for medical providers.
Highlights
- The bill would make it a felony punishable with up to 10 years in prison to provide medical care to minors.
- The bill is the latest in a flurry of measures in Republican-led states dealing with transgender youth.
- The American Civil Liberties Union called it the first bill of its kind to make healthcare for transgender youth a felony.
- Transgender rights have emerged as one of the issues at the forefront in the culture wars ahead of the November mid-term congressional elections.
- Many Republicans and conservative activists promote the laws as safeguards for children and parental rights, but opponents say the legislation is harmful, unnecessary and unfairly targeting vulnerable and underrepresented communities.
- The Alabama Senate has also passed a bill that would require students in public schools to use bathrooms or changing rooms that match their original birth certificates.