Judge allows red state ban on trans surgeries for minors to remain in effect

A North Dakota judge dismissed a request to halt a ban on sex change surgeries for minors on Monday, Inforum reported.

The law was signed by Republican Gov. Doug Burgum in April and barred medical professionals from prescribing hormone therapy or performing sex change surgery on minors, according to the Associated Press. A doctor and several families filed a lawsuit against state Attorney General Drew Wrigley in September, but Burleigh County Judge Jackson Lofgren denied their request for an injunction that would temporarily halt the enforcement of the law, according to Inforum.

“The plaintiffs argue the challenged statutes are subject to strict scrutiny,” Lofgren wrote, according to Inforum. “However, this heightened scrutiny hinges upon inclusion in a protected class not previously recognized by the North Dakota Supreme Court or a new application of state constitutional principles.”

Any doctor who performs a sex change surgery on a minor in the state or prescribes puberty blockers faces up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, or up to 360 days in prison and a $3,000 fine, respectively, according to the AP. The North Dakota governor argued that the law was “aimed at protecting children from the life-altering ramifications of gender reassignment surgeries.”

Twenty-two states have passed restrictions on transgender medical procedures for minors, but several are unable to enforce the laws due to lawsuits. Burgum also signed a law in April that barred male athletes from competing in women’s sports in both college and K-12 schools.

Wrigley’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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