As a society, we have a duty to embrace and protect all people, regardless of their identities. This includes people of all genders. In particular, the transgender movement has sought to dissolve the societal barriers and stigma surrounding individuals who identify with a gender differing from the one assigned at birth. About every month, the topic of transgender rights surges and then falls. While this fluctuation in the spotlight is only natural since people tend to turn their attention toward headlines that personally affect them, it is still paramount to shed light on the struggle for transgender rights. Given the fact that the number of transgender adolescents and young adults in the US has doubled in the past five years, it is likely that the transgender movement will begin taking a larger role in our daily lives. 

Recently, transgender rights made headlines when Republican Ohio governor Mike DeWine vetoed Ohio House Bill 68, an anti-transgender bill. The bill would have prevented minors from receiving gender-affirming care and transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports. While transgender athletes in women’s sports have been recently debated after the success of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, the banning of gender-affirming care is an even more alarming threat to transgender rights. House Bill 68, if passed, would have directly opposed the acceptance of transgender individuals into society — an apparent attempt to overreach human rights. 

House Bill 68 is criticized by many for concerns about the mental well-being of youth. Specifically, the bill is seen as the government making private medical decisions for youth that should instead be made by families and medical professionals. This opinion was the driving factor in DeWine’s veto, stating he “cannot sign this bill as it's currently written” when discussing the moral wrongness of putting personal medical decisions in the hands of the government. In addition to this overstepping role of the government, House Bill 68 also significantly threatened the mental health of transgender individuals. Studies have shown that transgender individuals receiving gender-affirming care were associated with 60% lower odds of moderate to severe depressive symptoms and 73% lower odds of self-harm or suicidal thoughts during the first year of care. The study, conducted by JAMA Network Open, is a clear reason why the bill would have been detrimental to young people, as denying support to transgender individuals would exacerbate existing youth mental health issues. 

Naturally, a Republican governor vetoing a bill to protect transgender rights has sparked massive debate. On one side, DeWine is receiving heavy criticism from those stating he is a coward for straying from typical Republican ideals. On the other hand, he is also receiving praise for standing up against societal norms, restoring gender equality, and finally humanizing transgender citizens. 

Throughout US history, autonomy has been the jewel of American principles. From political freedom during the birth of this country to the civil rights movement during the 20th century, America has fought for personal sovereignty among its citizens. The veto by DeWine is no different. The veto, as with other battles for equality, has received a myriad of criticisms; nonetheless, transgender rights should be our number one headline in social concerns. Though some may not personally relate to or understand the issue of transgender rights, we must uphold equality, respect the choices of our fellow citizens, and fight until justice is served.

This article was edited by Grace Hur.