Alabama ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth takes impact

May 8 (Reuters) - An Alabama legislation that makes it a felony to provide gender-affirming medical treatment to transgender youth went into effect on Sunday while a federal decide weighs whether to grant a motion to place a temporary hold on it.

The legislation makes it against the law punishable by up to 10 years in prison to supply puberty blockers, hormones and medical procedures to transgender youth below 19.

Governor Kay Ivey had signed the invoice on April 8. A similar however not as far-reaching regulation in Arkansas was blocked by the courts last 12 months before it may go into effect.

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After a two-day hearing concluded on Friday, U.S. District Judge Liles Burke gave no indication on when he'll rule on the movement seeking to temporarily halt enforcement of the ban while a lawsuit is pending, in line with local media reports.

The lawsuit, introduced by organizations together with the Human Rights Campaign and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, argues the ban would trigger "quick and irreparable" harm to the plaintiffs and that the measure violates a number of of their constitutional rights.

The groups filed the lawsuit on behalf of parents of 4 Alabama transgender youth, two physicians and a minister. The U.S. Department of Justice has joined the case, saying the Alabama law "violated the equal safety clause" of the U.S. Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment.

Mainstream medical and mental health professionals say gender-affirming care saves lives by lowering the already excessive threat of despair and suicide amongst trans youth.

Gender-reassignment surgery for folks under 18 is extremely rare and would happen only after years of remedy in cases where the patient's wishes are unwavering, in keeping with medical specialists.

Transgender rights have emerged as a wedge issue in the tradition wars forward of the November midterm congressional elections. Republican lawmakers have launched hundreds of payments throughout state legislatures, the vast majority of them directed at trans youth.

Many Republicans and conservative activists promote the legal guidelines as safeguards for children and parental rights. Opponents, including Democrats and LGBTQ organizations, say the laws is harmful, pointless and would have dire consequences on an already susceptible population.

In response to a current survey by the Trevor Project, a non-profit centered on suicide prevention amongst LGBTQ youth, 93% of transgender and nonbinary youth said they have apprehensive about trans folks "being denied access to gender-affirming medical care on account of state or local laws."

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Reporting by Maria Caspani; Enhancing by Leslie Adler

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