Ignoring the warnings of families, advocates, health care providers and transgender Wyomingites themselves, Gov. Mark Gordon signed into law a bill banning gender-affirming health care for transgender youth.
The ACLU of Wyoming opposed Senate File 99. The bill represents vast government overreach that undermines the fundamental rights of parents, and by singling out gender-affirming care for categorical prohibition violates the constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process.
The following statement can be attributed to Libby Skarin, acting executive director for the ACLU of Wyoming:
“By signing this bill into law, Gov. Gordon has put the government in charge of making vital decisions traditionally reserved for parents in Wyoming. This ban won’t stop Wyomingites from being trans, but it will deny them critical support that helps struggling transgender youth grow up to become thriving transgender adults.
“Gov. Gordon and supporters of Senate File 99 have chosen fearmongering, misrepresentations, intimidation and extremist politics over the rights of families and the lives of transgender youth in Wyoming. But this fight is far from over — we are determined to build a future where Wyoming is a safe place to raise every child. As our politicians continue to fail trans youth, it is up to each and every one of us to rise against their fear and ignorance and surround these young people with strength, safety and love.”
About the ACLU of Wyoming
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Wyoming is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and South Dakota. The team in Wyoming is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBTQ communities. The ACLU of Wyoming carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of Wyoming.
###
