COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio has banned gender-affirming care for minors and restricted transgender women’s and girls’ participation on sports teams, a move that has families of transgender children scrambling over how best to care for them. The new law bans gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapies, and restricts mental health care for transgender individuals under 18. The measure also bans transgender girls and women from girls and women’s sports teams at both the K-12 and collegiate level. One advocate, while singing that Jesus loves transgender children, was escorted out of the Senate chamber. At least 23 states have now enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and many of those states face lawsuits.

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Persons: Mike DeWine’s, Sen, Nathan Manning, Kat Scaglione’s, Amity, Matt, Lexi, we’re, ” Scaglione, “ It’s, you’re, ” DeWine, Kristina Roegner, ”, Jesus, Biden, Nickie J, Antonio, “, Maria Bruno, ___ Samantha Hendrickson Organizations: —, Republican, Statehouse, Equality Ohio, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: COLUMBUS , Ohio, — Ohio, Cuyahoga County, Amity, Ohio, Summit County, Arkansas, United States, Cleveland