Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) filed an appeal on Friday against a federal judge’s ruling last week that blocked the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
Cameron called the care “child mutilation” in a statement, and vowed to reverse the judge’s order to block the state law.
“It’s indefensible that leftist activists are disguising sterilization and genital surgeries as pediatric care for vulnerable children,” Cameron said. “Child mutilation is illegal in our Commonwealth, and these reckless hormone interventions are based on an irrational ideology that ignores scientific evidence.”
“I will do everything in my power to protect Kentucky kids from this radical agenda, and my office will continue to defend this law at every turn,” he added.
In blocking the measure, U.S. District Judge David Hale said the care has “a long history of safe use in minors for various conditions,” and said the group of parents of transgender children who sued to block the law have “a strong likelihood of success on the merits” for their constitutional challenges.
Cameron is also running against Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) for his seat in November. The attorney general has made issues surrounded the transgender community a central part of his campaign.
Beshear initially vetoed the measure, but was overridden by the GOP-controlled state legislature.
Gender-affirming care like hormone therapy and puberty blockers are generally considered safe and have been endorsed by major medical groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association and the Endocrine Society.
Nearly two dozen states have passed laws banning the medical care.