
Alabama governor signs sweeping law banning medication for transgender youth
CBSN
Republican Governor Kay Ivey signed sweeping legislation Friday that outlawed gender-affirming medications for transgender youth. Under the new law, doctors could face criminal penalties for prescribing puberty blockers or hormones to transgender youth under 19 years old.
"There are very real challenges facing our young people, especially with today's societal pressures and modern culture," Ivey said in a statement Friday. "I believe very strongly that if the Good Lord made you a boy, you are a boy, and if he made you a girl, you are a girl."
In addition to banning gender-affirming medications, the bill also prohibits gender transition surgeries, although doctors told lawmakers those are generally not done on minors. Violations are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church, a megachurch in Southlake, Texas, has been indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, stemming from alleged incidents dating back to the 1980s, the Oklahoma attorney general's office announced Wednesday. We are aware of the actions being taken by the legal authorities in Oklahoma and are grateful for the work of the justice system in holding abusers accountable for their actions. We continue to pray for Cindy Clemishire and her family, for the members and staff of Gateway Church, and for all of those impacted by this terrible situation.