New Hampshire is now the only state in New England to ban most gender-affirming health care for transgender youth. That’s after Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed two bills into law Friday: One prohibits doctors from administering puberty blockers or hormone treatments to people younger than 18 when the treatment is part of a gender transition. The second new law prohibits gender-affirming chest surgeries for minors.
Major medical organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Psychiatric Association oppose those kinds of restrictions. They say gender-affirming treatments can be vital to trans teens’ mental health to help them avoid the distress of going through puberty in a body that doesn’t match their gender identity.
“I’m just really sad for all our trans youth here in