On Friday, Delaware Democratic Gov. Matt Meyer signed an executive order increasing protection for receivers and providers of gender-affirming care.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Delaware, we cherish privacy, dignity and the right to make personal medical decisions. Everyone deserves the freedom to access healthcare rooted in science and compassion,\u201d said Meyer.<\/p>\n
The executive order prohibits any state agency from providing \u201cmedical records, data or billing information, or utilize state resources\u201d that could help any criminal or civil investigation against someone receiving or providing gender-affirming care.<\/p>\n
It also dictated that the state professional regulations board cannot disbar healthcare professionals only due to providing gender-affirming care.<\/p>\n
California, New York, Illinois and 11 other states, and Washington, D.C., have enacted similar legislation to shield patients and doctors from aggressive legislation in states where gender-affirming care is highly restricted.<\/p>\n
Patients can now travel to shield states to receive their care without fear of retribution in their home states.<\/p>\n
This comes after a Supreme Court decision on June 18<\/a> that upheld Tennessee\u2019s decision to ban puberty blockers and hormone treatments for transgender minors.<\/p>\n \u201cThis ruling undermines\u00a0doctors in delivering care to some of the most vulnerable patients in our country,\u201d Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the nation\u2019s first openly transgender member of Congress, said Wednesday\u00a0on the social platform X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Since President Trump took office transgender rights have increasingly been limited.<\/p>\n Trump signed an executive order recognizing<\/a> only two genders, has tried to ban transgender troops from the military<\/a>, has refused requests to change the gender of passports<\/a> and has tried to defund<\/a> gender-affirming medical care.<\/p>\n Delaware has a long history of tolerance for LGBTQ populations. According to the order, the state hosts 40,000 LGBTQ individuals and 6,300 transgender adults.<\/p>\n In 2013, it legalized same-sex marriage and implemented anti-discrimination laws in housing, employment and public accommodation.<\/p>\n