West Virginia gov signs genderaffirming care ban

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) has signed a bill banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The state’s law, which goes into effect in January 2024, differs from similar bans in at least 10 other states by allowing youth to receive some gender-affirming care if doctors worry they may self-harm or attempt suicide without it. West Virginia’s ban forbids medical professionals from providing minors with puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgery (despite the fact that such surgeries aren’t performed on minors). However, the law allows doctors to prescribe puberty blockers and hormone therapy to teens who are considered at…