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.

    • @yuriy
      5•4 months ago

      So you’re actively arguing they not receive treatment for something you do think is a mental illness?

      No wonder mental health is failing so hard across the board, people are just deciding which things do and don’t get treatment all willy nilly based on feelings apparently!

        • @yuriy
          1•4 months ago

          You don’t know shit about trans people, but you DO know exactly what treatment entails for them? You’ve got a very human-shaped blind spot in your demonization goggles there, friend. I’d suggest you stop viewing them as some kind of nebulous “enemy”.

            • @yuriy
              1•4 months ago

              Talk about fragile minds, you’re just parroting random hatespeech about a whole ass group of people because… what? What drives a person to do that? At the very least you’re going waayyy out of your way just to be mean, is that cool to you? Is this thing you’re doing productive?

              It could be said I’m being no more productive, but at least I’m not shitting all over a whole bunch of my fellow humans while doing it. Who hurt you?