According to a recent report in the Daily Caller, many of the Republican presidential candidates support a ban on so-called “transgender” medical treatments for minors.
While campaigning in Iowa last Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the medical procedures as “mutilation” and said it was wrong for doctors to perform transgender surgeries on those under 18.
DeSantis’ press secretary Bryan Griffin told the Daily Caller that the governor will not compromise on his opposition to the sexualization of children.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump promised to ban transgender procedures on minors.
In January, Trump said he would call on Congress to pass legislation for a national ban and promised to sign an executive order for federal agencies to end programs promoting “gender transition at any age.”
A spokesperson for South Carolina Senator Tim Scott told the Daily Caller that the senator opposes “gender-affirming care” for minors.
Scott has also voiced his opposition to males playing in women’s sports.
When asked if he opposes transgender procedures for minors, a spokesperson for former Vice President Mike Pence, who officially launched his presidential campaign on Wednesday, referred the Daily Caller to a previous interview in which Pence expressed opposition to “chemical or surgical transition” before children “come of age.”
Vivek Ramaswamy told the Daily Caller that affirming a “child’s confusion” is “cruel.” He said it would be wrong to treat anorexia with liposuction. Likewise, it would be “inhumane” to treat “gender dysphoria with genital mutilation.”
In a previous interview, Ramaswamy said banning chemical or surgical procedures for those under 18 is “perfectly legitimate.”
Haley’s spokesman Ken Farnaso told the Daily Caller that Haley supports a ban on transgender treatments for minors.
In an interview last month, Nikki Haley said children should not be allowed to undergo “gender-changing” procedures until they turn 18.
Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson told the Daily Caller that it would be unconstitutional for a president to sign an executive order banning transgender medical procedures for minors, arguing that this should be left up to the states.
Neither Chris Christie nor Larry Elder responded to the Daily Caller’s inquiries.
