Alabama doctor speaks on Federal Judge blocking transgender law

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A federal judge halted a portion of a new law preventing doctors from prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapies to transgender youth in Alabama. The block came one week after the new laws went into effect.

Dr. Ladinsky with the University of Alabama-Birmingham says there is a massive amount of relief across the state knowing that puberty blockers and hormones can still be prescribed to transgender minors. She said last week when the law went into effect and they couldn’t receive that care parents and children were losing sleep in suspense of the decision.

However, the ban on sex-altering surgeries on minors and its regulations aimed at schools remain in effect. That means educators and school nurses are not allowed to withhold that a child is transgender from their parents.

Dr. Ladinsky says from her knowledge surgeries were not being performed on minors in the state. However, she says the school is a safe space for some transgender teens and that safe space is going to be taken away.

Despite the partial block, one transgender teen in the state says some are still leaving-

“We were never closed but now we are back doing all we are able to do. All the care that we were always able to do. There are a lot of families and a lot of kids that hadn’t slept in over a week,” said Ladinsky.

However, some transgender teens are still planning to leave the state.

“I still have people planning their out, so it is still a really really unsafe environment,” said one 17-year-old.

Governor Kay Ivey referred to the ruling as a temporary legal roadblock and Attorney General Steve Marshall indicated he will appeal.

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