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Seventeen legislatures are considering laws that would dictate how medical personnel can treat transgender youth the latest flash point in the culture war.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson surprised observers this week when he vetoed one of those bills. It would have outlawed puberty blockers, cross-sex hormone treatment and “gender affirming” surgeries for children.
The Arkansas legislature and 16 others are attempting to big-foot a complex issue. With rare exceptions (such as limitations on assisted suicide and abortion), legislatures are not the best place for decision-making about medical issues. But in our hyper-hysterical culture, it’s becoming less and less possible to engage in these debates where they belong in the realm of science and journalism.