A Republican Georgia state representative wants to make it illegal for medical professionals to help minors undergo gender transition, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
"We're talking about children that can't get a tattoo or smoke a cigar or a cigarette in the state of Georgia but can be castrated and get sterilized," lawmaker Ginny Ehrhart told AJC.
The bill, if passed, would make it a felony for procedures that would help minors with gender transition, including vasectomies, mastectomies, and "castration and other forms of genital mutilization."
"The removal of otherwise healthy or non-diseased body parts from minor children would also be prohibited," her press release states.
The executive director of the LGBTQ rights organization Georgia Equality called the proposal "shameful."
"This legislation would criminalize decisions that are made carefully within families in consultation with medical professionals and mental health professionals," Jeff Graham said. "Supporting children in recognizing their gender identity is not only humane, it saves lives and strengthens families."
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