Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has shot down legislation that would have prohibited gender reassignment treatment for minors and blocked transgender women from competing in female sports.
On Friday, DeWine argued the “gut-wrenching” decision as to whether a minor should have access to so-called gender-affirming care —- whether this decision should “not be made by the government, should not be made by the state of Ohio,” but should instead be left up to parents.
He also shared he visited three children’s hospitals in his state to learn about the treatments.
“We’re dealing with children who are going through a challenging time, families that are going through a challenging time,” the governor said during a press conference.
He added, “I want, the best I can, to get it right.”
He insisted he could not sign the bill as it is “currently written.”
“This bill would impact a very small number of Ohio’s children. But, for those children who face gender dysphoria and for their families, the consequences of this bill could not be more profound,” DeWine stated.
He continued, “Ultimately, I believe this is about protecting human life. Many parents have told me that their child would not have survived, would be dead today if they had not received the treatment they received from one of Ohio’s children’s hospitals. I’ve also been told by those who are now grown adults that but for this care, they would have taken their life when they were teenagers.”
Fox News noted the governor did not address the ban on transgender women competing in female sports at first. However, when asked about it, he stated he was focused on the part of the legislation that “affected the most people and the most children by far.”
Despite DeWine’s veto, the legislation may not be dead. NBC News noted the Ohio legislature, which is controlled by Republicans, can override his veto with a three-fifths vote.
Over the last three years, 22 states have passed laws restricting gender treatment for minors, while 23 have passed laws restricting transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that do not correspond to their sex at birth.