Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signs executive order protecting access to gender-affirming health care

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday signed an executive order designed to protect gender-affirming health care access in Minnesota, a step he says will make Minnesota safer for the LGBTQ+ community as they face increased political attacks nationwide.

"In this state, hate has no home. In this state, love and acceptance is what we preach and we will live by that," Walz said.

It instructs state agencies to protect access to these health care services and unless compelled by court order, they are to not comply with investigations in other states where surgeries or treatments or banned or seriously limited.

The order comes as the DFL-led legislature is also considering a similar measure, "trans refuge" legislation, as it's known, designed to shield patients, providers and families from out-of-state legal action.

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But supporters said during the signing ceremony that the governor's directive is urgent as more states become restrictive.

"The situation is escalating too rapidly in the United States against the trans and gender expansive people for us to not use every tool we to protect people," said Rep. Leigh Finke, DFL-St. Paul, the first openly transgender member of the Minnesota Legislature who authored the refuge bill and another that would add "gender identity" to the Minnesota Human Rights Act.

Nearby South Dakota recently outlawed gender-affirming care for minors and Iowa is on the path to do the same.

Republicans here recently tried to do the same by proposing an amendment to a separate bill to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth in the state. That effort failed, but the GOP continues to voice concern about and question the long-term impacts of certain treatments.

"So-called 'gender-affirming healthcare' is in reality a way in which the medical establishment victimizes vulnerable young people, often with lifelong negative health effects," said John Helmberger, CEO of the Minnesota Family Council, a Christian conservative group.

Many medical groups, though, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, support youth access to care.

Dr. Kelsey Leonardsmith, interim medical director at Family Tree Clinic in Minneapolis, said the gender-affirming care means something different to every child and family and that treatment is evidence-based and consistent with their stage of development.

"There are also permanent, irreversible changes caused by just living in your body you were born in and nobody besides a child, a family and their health care team can figure out what is best for that child and their family," she said.

Hao Nguyen moved people to tears when he spoke of what the governor's action mean to him and his family. His six-year-old daughter is trans. He said he is grateful for this step by the governor.

"There's nothing in this world that I wouldn't do to protect her and others like her," he said.