OK Sen. files bill 'protecting' minors from receiving gender transition meds, surgeries

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — An Oklahoma Senator has filed four pieces of legislation that would "protect" minors from gender transition hormones and surgery that could keep them from having children when they are adults.

Sen. Rob Standridge, R-Norman, says hope from these legislations is to prevent children from later suffering mental health and physical complications, including infertility "because of the decisions made before they had the maturity or knowledge necessary to undergo such procedures." The bills Standridge filed also allow lawsuit to be filed against healthcare providers and adults who violate the bills.

“There are many things in Oklahoma we allow adults to do, but not children, even with parental permission, in order to protect them,” Standridge said. “Minors can’t use or possess alcohol or tobacco or get tattoos in our state, even with their parents’ approval. There are life-long ramifications for these things that children and teens simply do not have the maturity to fully understand. Clearly that applies to drugs or surgeries to change a child’s gender. My bills are about protecting Oklahoma children from medications or surgeries they may regret the rest of their lives.”

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Senate Bill (SB) 786 would prohibit doctors or other healthcare providers from providing hormone therapy or puberty-blocking drugs to anyone under the age of 18, unless such drugs are medically necessary. Gender transitioning would not be considered a medical necessity under this bill.

SB 787 would prohibit doctors or other healthcare professionals from providing transition surgery to anyone under the age of 18.

SB 788 would prevent a parent or legal guardian from consenting to the administration of such drugs if the person receiving them is under the age of 18.

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SB 789 would prohibit a parent or legal guardian from consenting to transition surgery for a minor.

“My legislation will give minors the ability to hold their parent or guardian and medical professionals accountable when they realize one day the great damage that has been done to them physically and psychologically,” Standridge said. “The Hippocratic Oath taken by physicians requires doctors do no harm to their patients, but there could be no greater harm to a child then to fulfill a fleeting desire with life-changing and body-mutilating drugs and procedures from which the child will likely never recover.”

All four of these measures would allow civil lawsuits to be filed against violators of the bills.

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