The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that Alabama can enforce its 2022 law banning gender transitioning procedures and medications for minors.
In a Tuesday appearance on Newsmax TV's "National Report," Marshall praised the court's decision as a resounding victory for the state and the nation.
On Tuesday's "National Report," Alabama AG Steve Marshall says his state's ban on puberty blockers and hormones for kids will allow them to protect minors from abuse.@AGSteveMarshall @ShaunKraisman @EmmaRechenberg pic.twitter.com/TX4ux7Npoc
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 16, 2024
"It's clearly a victory for Alabama but also a victory for children across our country," Marshall said. "We've had multiple states that have weighed in and said, 'we're not going to experiment on America's kids. We're not going to allow them to become the victims of abuse."
Responding to critics who bashed Alabama and other states that enacted similar laws, Marshall claimed he and his office had spent the time fighting for the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act (VCAP) in court involved looking at the science of gender dysphoria and concluding that mainstream methods for transitioning children are not in line with the science. He also took a passing shot at U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine for advancing the Biden administration's "radical gender ideology."
"We are talking about science," Marshall continued. "We've looked at the research and understand what we need to do to help kids that are suffering from gender dysphoria, and it's not off-label use of medication. It's clearly not radical surgeries on children. But instead, there are appropriate care that can be done. That can take place in Alabama and the other states that have adopted these similar laws. But we don't need to be experimenting on kids. And despite what Admiral Levine and others may advocate, this is not about the best interest of kids. This is a radical gender ideology of this administration manifesting itself in the way that we take care of America's children."
In April 2022, Gov. Kay Ivey signed VCAP (SB184) into law, which prohibits doctors in Alabama from performing transgender operations or prescribing cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers to individuals under 19.
VCAP went into effect May 8, 2022, but was blocked by U.S. District Judge Liles Burke a few days later. Burke's injunction came after multiple parties added themselves as plaintiffs in a case challenging the law, including five transgender minors by way of their parents, the United States of America and Kaitlin Toyama, an attorney-advisor with the civil rights division of the Department of Justice.
In August 2023, the 11th Circuit ruled the district court had erroneously enjoined state officials from enforcing VCAP. Attorney General Steve Marshall's office then asked the court to reverse the injunction, pending further litigation. Last week, the 11th Circuit granted the state's request and struck down the injunction.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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