Federal judge in Kentucky blocks gender-affirming care ban

(WAVE, WLEX, CNN) – In Kentucky, a federal judge temporarily blocked a ban on gender-affirming care for youth on Wednesday, saying the treatments are medically appropriate and necessary for some transgender children.

The ruling stops Senate Bill 150 from taking effect while other courts hear challenges to the law.

The bill would have prohibited transgender minors from receiving several forms of gender-affirming care, banning healthcare providers from prescribing treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy to most minors and gender-affirming surgeries on minors who have been diagnosed with an intersex condition.

The bill also called for healthcare providers to end treatment for patients already receiving puberty blockers or hormone therapy and prevented schools from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity.

It also allowed educators to refuse to refer to transgender students by their preferred pronouns.