WV Senate bill would ban hormone treatment for minors with gender dysphoria at risk of suicide

by Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
February 18, 2025

Hormone treatment for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria would be banned in West Virginia under a bill advancing in the Senate. The legislation would nearly close the state’s very narrow exemption in its gender-affirming care ban for minors. 

Under current state law, children who are diagnosed with severe gender dysphoria by two medical providers to access pubertal modulating and hormonal therapy under guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Roughly 100 youth in the state are currently receiving gender-affirming care, and the measure, introduced by Sen. Chris Rose, R-Monongalia, would halt their medical care in August if signed into law. 

Dr. Chantel Weisenmuller, president of the West Virginia Psychological Association, told lawmakers, “As a psychologist, that is a very frightening prospect.”

“… Whenever folks suddenly lose access to this necessary evidence-based best practice medical treatment, we see a marked, significant, intense escalation of depression, anxiety and suicide,” she continued. 

The Senate Health Committee approved the measure, Senate Bill 299, on Tuesday. State lawmakers in 2023 passed a strict ban on gender-affirming care for minors, outlawing those under 18 from being prescribed hormone therapy and fully reversible puberty blockers. It also banned minors from receiving gender-affirming surgery.

The 2023 measure did include a small carve out that allows children diagnosed with gender dysphoria to receive medical therapy, including hormonal treatment, if a teenager is considered at risk for self-harm or suicide. The exemption followed emotional testimony from some Senators, including a Republican, who feared a total gender-affirming care ban would lead to child suicide.

Rose, who is new to the Senate, seeks to nearly eliminate that narrow exemption that permits a very specific group of children to access hormone therapy through gender-affirming care. He pointed to some European countries opting to tighten restrictions on gender-affirming care for youth and equated the care to chemical castration and sterilization of children.

“How is someone the age of 7 or 8 years old, mature enough to make the decision to permanently change their body forever?” Rose questioned. 

Wood County child psychologist Christina Jackson, whose patients include adolescents with gender dysphoria, told lawmakers that she had never recommended gender-affirming surgery for any patient under the age of 18. 

“I’m hesitant to add the diagnosis of gender dysphoria for multiple reasons … I don’t want to over diagnose it,” Jackson said. “For my patients, our frontline treatment is therapy, psychotherapy, trying to resolve the issue without, you know, more interventions.”

Committee members also heard virtual testimony from three individuals who weren’t from West Virginia; they supported the measure and denounced gender-affirming care for minors. 

Hormone treatment and puberty suppression had resulted in 40% decrease in children with gender dysphoria attempting suicide over the course of a year, according to Weisenmuller.

“If they’re with us, we can help them keep working towards that life worth living,” she said.

Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, the only Democrat on the committee, attempted to amend the bill to include a “grandfather clause” that would allow minors currently receiving gender-affirming care to continue their treatment if the bill would pass with its August ban.

“There are validated studies by medical professionals that are showing that this type of therapy, or this specific exempted diagnosis, has saved lives … I rely on the stories of the people in my district and the people across the state of West Virginia who feel like this has helped them,” he said.

No Republicans supported Garcia’s amendment.

The measure was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, as well, for consideration. 

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