The New Hampshire House passed House Bill 619, which would ban gender-affirming care for minors, in a 199-175 vote.
The bill “prohibits gender transition care for minors under 18 years of age, prohibits teaching about gender identity in public schools and changes the definition of conversion therapy.” Additionally, it requires that all public school officials in the state “shall refer to children by the name and gender that they are enrolled as.”
Additional language centers around the differences between male and female athletes and expands the definition of “conversion therapy” to explicitly include encouraging minors against their will to change their gender, and requiring school bathrooms in the state to be separated by gender.
Advocates and healthcare providers in the state have expressed concerns about the bill, citing the positive impact gender-affirming care has on youth mental health. Trans representative Gerri Cannon has been a vocal critic of the bill, arguing that there restricting medical procedures is beyond the responsibility of the state’s House of Representatives.
