@duviobaz @arstechnica I feel like conservatives are usually arguing about surgery and other medical treatment for *minors*, and not about adults as much. Do you think this isn't true? (It's entirely possible I'm not reading broadly enough or something.)
there is no gender-affirming surgery on minors in any country I know of (maybe some ultra-rare exceptions).
The only gender-affirming medical intervention available to minors is usually puberty blockers (which are reversible, they delay puberty but it continues normally if you stop taking them). But even these are not easily available. So I would suggest you do read up, because most things these people pretend to fight against don't even exist in reality.
I'd also add, folks who are so concerned about genital surgeries on minors, look into intersex activism. The only genital surgeries on minors that are still being carried out happen on infants, without their consent, sometimes even without the parents' consent / full knowledge.
Interesting how genital surgeries for which babies / infants / children (sometimes even their parents) can't give consent fail to raise an universal outcry (or really, be known about), but those where a legal adult is able to do so are politically weaponised.
@ech @duviobaz Some of the folks driving these efforts have made it explicit that they are going after minors first because that's where it's easiest to get public support. We are already seeing bills aimed at folks well into their twenties. https://okcfox.com/news/local/oklahoma-bill-aims-to-ban-gender-transition-procedures-under-age-of-26