In a message aimed at states which have banned transgender surgeries and treatments for minors, the White House on Wednesday reiterated its belief that there should be no age limit on such procedures.
During a White House press conference, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was questioned on what age Joe Biden thinks medicalized gender transitions are appropriate for minors, to which she said that it was up to the "child and their parents to decide."
A reporter, pointing to Indiana's legislature passing a ban on puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and gender transition surgeries for minors asked what Biden's reaction is to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signing that bill into law and if Biden has "a position on at what age these kinds of therapies and surgeries are appropriate?"
"But, well, you know, in the past couple of months, we have seen a record number of LGBTQI bills, more than 600 of them have been filed in state houses, and a significant number of them have been anti-trans bills and, you know, targeted at youth," Jean-Pierre said.
Biden "has said that when these — these are some of the bravest people he knows, but no one should have to be brave just to be themselves," Jean-Pierre said, adding that Biden "has been committed to this community and has been committed to our kids in the trans community, to trans kids, and he’s going to continue to fight for them."
The Indiana law will go into effect July 1, and trans youth currently taking medication to transition would have until the end of the year to stop doing so.
"Permanent gender-changing surgeries with lifelong impacts and medically prescribed preparation for such a transition should occur as an adult, not as a minor," Holcomb said in a statement after signing the Indiana bill.
At least 12 states have enacted laws restricting or banning transgender procedures for minors: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Utah, South Dakota and West Virginia. Federal judges have blocked enforcement of laws in Alabama and Arkansas, and nearly two dozen states are considering bills this year to restrict or ban the procedures.
Idaho Republican Gov. Brad Little signed legislation Tuesday evening that criminalizes transgender procedures for youth.
Under the Indiana law, doctors who offer the transgender procedures to minors would be disciplined by a licensing board. Under the Idaho law, set to go into effect next January, providing hormones, puberty blockers or other transgender procedures to individuals under age 18 would be a felony.
"In signing this bill, I recognize our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies," Little said. "However, as policymakers we should take great caution whenever we consider allowing the government to interfere with loving parents and their decisions about what is best for their children."
Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday: "We’ve been very clear about these anti-LGBTQ bills that we’re seeing in state legislatures across the country, in particular, these anti-trans bills as they attack trans kids, as they attack trans parents. It is shameful, and it is unacceptable."
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