Gov. Murphy signs EO making N.J. 'a safe haven for gender-affirming care'


New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday with LGBTQ advocates looking on signed an executive order to protect gender-affirming care in the state Photo courtesy of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy/Twitter



April 4 (UPI) -- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed an executive order to protect both medical professionals and patients from potential consequences over administering or receiving gender-affirming care, as Republicans seek to restrict and criminalize the medical therapy nationwide.

The Democratic governor signed the executive order Tuesday before members of Garden State Equality and Bridges4Life. His office in a statement described the order as one that will make New Jersey "a safe haven for gender-affirming care."

"Across the nation, we are witnessing attacks led by certain states that seek to undermine the equality, dignity and safety of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially transgender and non-binary youth," Murphy said. "As leaders, our greatest responsibility is ensuring that every person we represent regardless of their gender identity or gender expression, is entitled to respect, fairness and freedom."

Though gender-affirming care has received the support of every major U.S. medical association, Republicans have sought to restrict and criminalize the medical practice with emphasis on care for minors. The American Liberties Union said it is tracking 451 bills it describes as anti-LGBTQ legislation that have been introduced across the nation, 24 of which that have been passed into law. The civil rights group states that the bills especially target transgender youth.

In New Jersey, the ACLU said it is tracking six such bills, including S3076 that aims to prevent those under the age of 18 from receiving gender-affirming care.

Amid the increase in number of such legislation, the American Medical Association, the country's largest medical group, has called it "inappropriate and harmful" for state legislatures to "dictate that certain transition-related services are never appropriate and limit the range of options physicians and families may consider."

Murphy's executive order directs all state departments and agencies to protect all people from potential repercussions from providing, receiving, assisting in providing or receiving, seeking or traveling to New Jersey to obtain gender-affirming healthcare.

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It specifically ensures equal access to quality healthcare services, regardless of one's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. It also bars the extradition of a person within New Jersey to another state in connection to gender-affirming care while also prohibiting the state from cooperating with interstate investigations aimed at holding someone liable for civil or criminal penalties associate with such care.

"I cannot possibly overstate the importance of this action," Jamie Bruesehoff, the mother of youth activist Rebekah Bruesehoff, said in a statement. "Families like mine across the country are being made into political refugees because of their state governments. They are hurting and scared. Kids like Rebekah should get to be kids instead of fighting political bullies."