Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced Friday legislation to make “gender affirming” care procedures for minors a crime.
The legislation, known as the “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” would make any hormonal or sex reassignment surgeries on minors a Class C felony, which is punishable with 10-25 years in prison. Any person who has undergone any type of gender-transition treatment can seek punitive and compensatory damages.
The bill prohibits anyone who “changes the body” to make it compatible with a person of the opposing biological sex. This includes castration, vasectomy and vaginoplasty, as well as any other procedures. The bill would ban hormone treatments and any type of plastic surgery that feminizes or masculinizes the face. It also prohibits chest implants, breast implants, and fat injections in the gluteal area.
Federal funding is not allowed for these types of procedures under the legislation. It also prohibits federally-funded healthcare facilities from carrying out the procedure on federal land or territory. The proposed legislation also prohibits higher education institutions from providing instructions about the treatment.
The Protect Children’s Innocence Act was introduced.
Thanks to all the cosponsors. @RepMaryMiller@RepJeffDuncan@RepBobGood @RepRalphNorman@RepMattGaetz@RepTonyGonzales@RepClayHiggins@RepBurgessOwens@RepTenney@Rep_Clyde@RepHarshbarger@Lancegooden pic.twitter.com/8P69HlQMbP
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) August 19, 2022
The bans do not apply to any individual diagnosed with an ovarian or testicular issue or an abnormal sex chromosome structure, the legislation states. The legislation states that exceptions apply for anyone with a medical condition or who is in danger of death. (RELATED: Former Trans Woman Praises Laws Banning Sex Change Surgeries, Puberty Blockers For Minors)
“Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting provision of the medical services described in subsection (d)(1)(A) to address legitimate health issues, such as any male or female reproductive cancers, apart from changing the body to correspond to a sex that differs from one’s biological sex,” the bill read.
12 lawmakers, including Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Virginia Rep. Bob Good, and Utah Rep. Burgess Owens originally cosponsored the bill. Two senate candidates, J.D. Vance of Ohio and Blake Masters of Arizona, expressed their support for the bill.
Greene said Thursday on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” that these procedures are “child abuse” and must be outlawed.
This is child abuse and an assault, Greene stated. This practice shouldn’t happen. It’s disgusting, appalling, and an embarrassment for our country The measure was based on an Alabama law which criminalizes hormone treatments, puberty blocking drugs, and sex-change operations for minors. A federal judge temporarily blocked the ban in May, arguing that the Alabama state government had not provided evidence that the treatments are “experimental.” He further opined that parents and guardians, not the government, play a primary role in their children undergoing these procedures.
