The Tennessee State Legislature passed a bill that would ban the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical operations on children in order to “change” their gender. The legislation now awaits Gov. Bill Lee’s signature, according to Breitbart News.
Lawmakers in the State House passed the legislation 77 to 16, with three Democrats voting with the Republicans.
House Majority Leader William Lamberth remarked that “These children do not need these medical procedures to be able to flourish as adults.”
“They need mental health treatment. They need love and support, and many of them need to be able to grow up to become the individuals that they were intended to be,” Lamberth went on to say.
Similar bills have gained traction in various other Republican-led states, including Nebraska, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and South Carolina.
Breitbart News reported that Tennessee lawmakers promised to take action after an investigation from Daily Wire host Matt Walsh found that Vanderbilt officials had referred to transitions, particularly sex change operations, as “big money makers.”
The investigation first prompted Republican Gov. Bill Lee to call for an investigation into Vanderbilt University Medical Center in September.
