The state of Ohio has recently implemented a ban on gender-affirming treatment for minors and has also imposed limits on transgender women and girls participating in sports teams. This has caused families with transgender children to struggle with finding suitable care for them.

The Republican-controlled Senate voted on Wednesday to overturn the veto of GOP Governor Mike DeWine. The recently passed legislation prohibits gender-confirming surgeries and hormone treatments, and limits access to mental health care for transgender individuals under the age of 18. Additionally, it prohibits transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports teams in both K-12 and collegiate settings.

The chamber was cleared with a vote of 24-8, mostly following party lines. However, Senator Nathan Manning from Cuyahoga County, a Republican who has consistently gone against his party on this matter, did not follow suit.

Authorities anticipate that the legislation will become effective within approximately three months. The House, which is primarily composed of Republicans, voted to override the veto earlier this month.

Kat Scaglione has three children, two of whom are transgender. As an artist from Chagrin Falls, she is heartbroken but not shocked by the passing of the new law. Her 14-year-old daughter Amity is currently undergoing mental health treatment and taking medication, which she would still be allowed to receive due to the grandfather clause in the law. However, Amity would not be able to pursue any additional treatment, such as hormone therapies, and would have to travel out of state to continue her gender-affirming care.

Scaglione and her significant other, Matt, are contemplating relocating their household to a different state, even though they recently purchased a home in a school district and community that offers more safety for Amity and her 10-year-old sister Lexi, who is also transgender. They do not feel accepted in Ohio and do not anticipate that changing in the near future.

Despite our current stability and contentment, we live with a constant sense of apprehension, always anticipating a change that may force us to leave our home. It has been a difficult experience to try and settle down in a new place while constantly feeling the need to be ready to escape at any given moment.

DeWine restated on Wednesday that he used his veto power to reject the legislation, much to the disappointment of his party. His reasoning was to safeguard parents and children from excessive government interference in medical choices. However, at the beginning of January, he issued an executive order prohibiting gender-affirming surgeries for individuals under 18, despite healthcare experts stating that these surgeries are not being performed in the state.

He suggested guidelines for both transgender children and adults, which faced backlash from Democrats and LGBTQ+ supporters who previously had high hopes for his veto.

Senator Kristina Roegner, a member of the Republican party representing Summit County, made an inaccurate statement on the Senate floor claiming that gender-affirming care and the concept of a gender spectrum do not exist. She referred to this type of care as a futile task.

The remarks she made were met with disapproval and strong objections from supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, who were closely monitored by security at the Statehouse.

An advocate was removed from the Senate chamber for singing about Jesus’s love for transgender children.

Currently, there are more than 23 states that have implemented legislation that limits or prohibits gender-affirming medical treatment for minors who identify as transgender. Several of these states are currently facing legal challenges, and the decisions made by courts have been varied. The initial law passed in Arkansas, which banned such medical care, was deemed unconstitutional by a federal judge due to its violation of the due process rights of transgender minors and their families.

For over ten years, this treatment has been accessible in the United States and is supported by prominent medical organizations.

More than 20 states have given the green light to a blanket prohibition on transgender athletes participating in K-12 and collegiate sports teams across the entire state. However, the Biden administration is expected to officially prohibit these bans later this year, despite facing resistance and experiencing numerous delays. The proposed rule would declare that blanket bans are in violation of Title IX, a significant law promoting gender equality that was passed in 1972.

Senator Nickie J. Antonio, a Democrat from the Cleveland area, described the proposal as “bullying” and argued that the Legislature should be focusing on more pressing matters such as mental health and substance abuse instead of targeting transgender youth and stripping away parental rights. She noted that advocates may be exhausted, but they are still determined to push back against this measure.

Antonio, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, expressed her hope that this legislative session will be the final instance of attempting to strip away the rights of individuals from the LGBTQ+ community.

Maria Bruno, the director of public policy at Equality Ohio, a group that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights across the state, stated that they will be investigating all possible legal and legislative avenues to safeguard transgender individuals and their loved ones.

“It is truly disappointing to witness partisan politics taking precedence over sound, just, and compassionate decision-making,” she expressed.