A new law banning gender-affirming care for minors in Louisiana took effect at the start of the year. Since the legislation was passed last summer, parents have been scrambling for help.

For the last two years, Koen has routinely self-administered weekly testosterone injections without a second thought.

During that time, the trans 17-year-old said his self-image and school and family life has drastically improved. His fear of needles, too, has faded.

“[Transitioning] made me look forward to things more because now I can start paying attention to the better version of myself,” said Koen, who asked to be identified by his first name because of fears for his safety. “It’s something I feel like I’ve needed for a while. I’m able to express myself more fluidly and feel comfortable doing that, which I think is a very big step for me right now.”

At the start of the year, though, a greater worry emerged.

A new law banning gender-affirming care for minors in Louisiana took effect on Jan. 1 prohibiting puberty blockers, hormone treatment, and gender-reaffirming surgery. Now, Koen isn’t sure he could continue his hormone treatment.

Louisiana is one of 22 other states that have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for minors, disrupting health care needs for trans and nonbinary people.

  • @inb4_FoundTheVegan
    43•11 months ago

    I think it’s sorta telling that you did a wiki search for loaded language instead of one for gender affirming care. To be clear, it’s absolutely not loaded language, it’s just language you don’t understand, literally anything can seem vague if you don’t know what it entails, if you truly don’t want to be like /conservative then I think you should be a but more proactive at self education.

    Here is a better rundown from a neutral source. But tldr it’d everything from parental support/respect for prounons/new haircut/clothes and possibly puberty blockers for minors. To hormones, electrolysis and an extremely long list of different surgical options too numerous to lost depending on the person.

    So the idea of blocking all medical options for minors is ridiculous since no minors are getting surgery. Period. And puberty blockers are both reversible and have been used for decades. Legislation restricting what psychologists, pediatricians and endocrinologists have all agreed as safe and effective treatment is just lunacy and bigotry.

    • proleEnglish
      11•11 months ago

      It’s also not just for trans kids. There are all sorts of types of gender affirming care that have nothing to do with transitioning.