Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has called for a federal ban on gender-altering surgeries and drugs for those under 18 in an interview with CBN News.
The former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador said that "I think there should be federal involvement, that you should not have any gender altering anything done to a child before the age of 18."
She emphasized in the interview on Tuesday that "you can't have a tattoo until 18. Why are we going to let them do any sort of gender changes before the age of 18?"
Haley stressed that "across the board I don't think that should ever happen and that includes any gender changing drugs. Nothing that is going to permanently harm them."
She went on to say that this should be the situation "until they are an adult and can make their own decision. Once they are 18, we are a free country, and you do what you want. But before 18, no, we have to protect those kids."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.