Ozaukee County News

Scarlett Johnson, a member of Moms for Liberty, an advocacy group for parental rights, expressed her disappointment with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers.

In her criticism, Johnson specifically called out the governor for implementing multiple partial vetoes, one of which ultimately places the financial responsibility for puberty blockers and gender transition treatments, including those for minors, onto taxpayers, according to Wisconsin Right Now. 

"Wisconsin taxpayers on the hook for gender transition surgeries, sex change hormones and puberty blockers for kids in Wisconsin! @GovEvers vetoed ⁦@WisGOP prohibition on taxpayer-funded puberty blockers and gender transition surgeries," Johnson said in a July 6 Twitter post.

It was reported individuals under the age of 18 in Wisconsin have been undergoing gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapies, Wisconsin Right Now reported June 1. The report specifically highlights the involvement of hospitals like UW Health, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital in providing these treatments.

"The state’s Medicaid program should not be funding transgender surgeries and gender-affirming care," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said in a post on Twitter. "The governor’s veto allowing this practice to continue takes money away from low-income families who truly need Medicaid dollars for important healthcare visits and procedures.”

Evers defended these controversial policies and said they are important to the transgender community, according to a statement from Evers' office. 

“I am vetoing these sections because I object to perpetuating hateful, discriminatory and anti-LGBTQ policies and rhetoric, including those targeted at the transgender and gender nonconforming community,” Evers wrote in the statement. “Gender-affirming care for transgender and gender nonconforming people with gender dysphoria is recognized as the standard treatment by most major medical associations. Reducing access to gender-affirming care would only magnify the inequities in health outcomes already faced by the LGBTQ community. I support LGBTQ Wisconsinites and will continue to do everything in my power to protect their rights and keep them safe.”