(Burleigh County, ND) — A state law has been upheld that prohibits gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. This week, a Burleigh County District Court judge upheld the law passed by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly in 2023. The law bans healthcare providers from performing surgeries or prescribing medications intended to alter or affirm a minor’s gender identity when it differs from their biological sex at birth. The judge ruled that the state has the authority to regulate medical practices involving minors and found no constitutional violation in the statute’s provisions, despite several arguments made by those opposed to the law. The ruling adds North Dakota to a growing list of states where bans on gender-affirming care have been upheld or challenged in court.

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