Unsplash/Mercedes Mehling
In a near-unanimous vote, the Alabama Senate passed a ban on medicalized gender-transitioning of minors, outlawing the prescribing of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and performing genital mutilation and double mastectomies on youth younger than 19.
The bill, called the “Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act,” is sponsored by Republican state Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, and will soon head to the state House, which has already passed a companion bill. The final Senate vote was 23-4, according to multiple reports.
The passage comes after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the southern state’s efforts last year.
Both versions of the bill make it a felony to use experimental drugs on youth younger than 19. Those who violate the law could face $15,000 in fines and 10 years in prison. The bill also requires school staff in Alabama to disclose to parents that their children’s mental perception of their bodies — which is often referred to “gender identity” — is inconsistent with their biological sex.