North Carolina bill would ban gender-affirming medical procedures for minors

A new bill in North Carolina would make it illegal for medical professionals to perform any gender-affirming medical treatments on minors.

The bill was introduced on Wednesday in the North Carolina House of Representatives by Republican George Cleveland and would ban hormone treatments and gender-affirming surgeries for people younger than 18.

Doctors who surgically remove any “nondiseased” or otherwise healthy body part or tissue could face a $1,000 fine and potently lose their license.

Children born with ambiguous sex characteristics are excluded from the bill.

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Similar legislation has been proposed in other states, with the Utah legislature passing a bill in January that would ban minors from receiving gender-affirming care.

The bill has yet to be signed by Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox, who hasn’t taken a public position on the bill.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.p