Controversy Surrounds Gender-Affirming Care for Minors in Midwest States

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds intends to sign a bill that would ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, citing a lack of long-term science to understand the impact of the treatment on children. The American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend providing transgender kids with gender-affirming care, which medical professionals say can be life-saving. LGBTQ civil rights and advocacy groups have condemned Iowa Republicans for passing the legislation, saying it will harm transgender kids in the state.