The appeals court last week granted Alabama's request to stay an injunction that had prevented a bill signed by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) in 2022 from becoming law.
For now, it is a felony for doctors in the state to validate a minor's preferred non-biological gender with puberty blockers or hormones. Disregard for the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
"'Gender-affirming care' … has been leading healthy children into a world of misery, [with] healthy bodies being harmed, being sterilized." Becky Gerritson, executive director for the pro-family Eagle Forum, told Washington Watch last week. "It's been a long, hard road. I'm just so glad that this law is actually going to go into effect. There still will be a trial later on this year, but this is very good news."
A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit had already ruled in the state's favor, but four families with gender-confused children asked for the entire 11th Circuit to review the decision.
Dangerous side effects
District Court Judge Liles Burke, appointed by former President Donald Trump, had initially ruled that the state had provided no evidence to show that puberty blockers were "experimental," the Associated Press reports.
Gerritson, however, took time to cite the effects of one drug used for gender manipulation.
Lupron can halt sexual, social and emotional, and intellectual development, arrest bone growth, decrease bone density, prevent brain maturation, and cause infertility and immature growth of sexual organs.
"We know these are problems," Gerritson told show host Jody Hice. "We know these are side effects. It's the same thing with cross-sex hormones … stroke, liver disease, diabetes, migraines, heart disease -- all of these things can happen to these children."
She submits that more attention needs to be given to therapy as a treatment for gender dysphoria. People need to find out if they have any other medical conditions like autism or compulsive possessive disorders.
"As we see more and more detransitioners across the country and across the world, totally in remorse about what they have done to their bodies and trying to stop others from going into this, we're hoping that the tide socially will begin to turn and that people will realize they need to focus on mental health and compassionate talk therapy to get to the bottom root of why they hate their bodies," Gerritson said.
