Des Moines, Iowa — Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley says House Republicans are considering legislation to restrict gender-affirming medical procedures for transgender kids and teens.
Grassley spoke with reporters on Thursday, shortly before the House Government Oversight Committee held a hearing to ask questions of doctors who provide gender-affirming procedures. Grassley says he wants to see the results of the hearing.
During the hearing, the co-director of the LGBTQ+ clinic at University of Iowa Hospitals, Katie Imborek says procedures for transgender minors follows guidelines from leading medical institutions. It is done under the supervision of a team of medical professionals, and always with parental consent. She was asked how her patients would be affected if there were laws preventing treatment. Imborek says she feels there could be devastating consequences.
Advocates for LGBTQ Iowans point out that gender-affirming care is supported by all major American medical organizations. They say restricting such care could be dangerous because it would exacerbate the mental health crisis among Iowa’s transgender youth.
