Republican Arkansas Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor-elect Leslie Rutledge justified a proposed ban on gender transition procedures for minors on Tuesday morning, saying it is meant to “protect kids.”
“We’re only wanting to protect the children in the state of Arkansas, again, from making a life-altering, permanent decision such as changing their gender,” she explained to Fox News’ “America Reports” host John Roberts.
The Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act would ban gender transition surgeries for anyone under 18. “This is a law that we passed in order to protect children, this is to protect minors,” she stated.
Arkansas AG: “We’re only wanting to protect the children in the state of Arkansas, again, from making a life-altering permanent decision such as changing their gender.” pic.twitter.com/bAXCF9oD2W
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 15, 2022
The law, which was passed by Arkansas State legislature, is currently held-up in court following a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union. The plaintiffs in this case were 9, 15, and 16-year-old children seeking gender-altering surgeries, Rutledge told the outlet. “Imagine a 9-year-old making the decision whether or not to be male or female for the rest of his or her life,” she stated. (RELATED: Sign Language Interpreter Sues Broadway’s ‘The Lion King’ After Allegedly Getting Fired For Being White)
Rutledge further explained that the law promotes children under 18 seeking mental healthcare, something she feels is lost by her critics. “We want these children to have access to mental healthcare,” she articulated. “What we don’t want are for adults to allow those children to make a life-altering, permanent decision.”