Utah Governor’s Bill on Gender Reassignment for Minors
In January 2023, Utah Governor Spencer Cox endorsed legislation that forbids healthcare providers from performing gender reassignment surgeries or prescribing related medications to minors.
This law sparked outrage among gender rights activists and others advocating for non-heterosexual issues. Additionally, it mandated the Utah Department of Health and Human Services to “conduct a systematic review of the medical evidence regarding hormone treatment for transgender individuals and provide recommendations to the Legislature.”
A statutory examination, prepared by the Department of Health and Welfare and submitted to Congress in May 2025, portrayed a favorable view of certain hormonal treatments. However, this treatment has also been noted for its use in sterilizing sex offenders, which raises serious ethical questions.
According to a critical report from a healthcare advocacy organization, “Do No Harm,” this review was misinformed and compromised public safety. The report criticized the state’s review process, suggesting it distorted the evidence to support harmful medical procedures for minors while ignoring potential risks.
One quote highlights the concern: “Utah legislators should not rely on a report that clearly compromises the safety and well-being of minors.”
While the executive overview of the review claimed that HHS “does not take a position on whether to lift the moratorium,” the extensive review appears to implicitly endorse gender reassignment treatments for young people.
“After months of research, it was hard not to conclude that the majority of evidence supports the treatment as beneficial for mental health and consistent with affirmed gender identities for pediatric patients.”
The “Do No Harm” group pointed out that the review strayed from accepted standards for systematic reviews and engaged critically with noted guidelines, emphasizing the volume of evidence over its quality. It also overlooked serious consequences, including infertility and sexual dysfunction, that can arise from treatments such as puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.
Concerns about ideological bias among advisors were raised, especially as some had publicly advocated for “gender-affirming care” for minors.
Additionally, reports from a recent closely peer-reviewed study from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services detail the significant long-term harms associated with treatments like puberty blockers and surgeries, highlighting the oversight in the Utah review.
Michelle Havrilla, the Program Director of “Do No Harm,” pointed out that the Utah report lacks scientific rigor and credibility. She urged lawmakers to disregard findings that put minors’ health at risk.
