Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order to help protect gender affirming health care in Maryland during a LGBTQIA+ reception Monday evening.
The executive order will help protect individuals receiving and providing gender affirming treatment in Maryland from facing legal punishments in other states. The order makes Maryland a safe haven for people from other states seeking access to gender affirming care.
“This order is focused on ensuring Maryland is a safe place for gender affirming care, especially as other states take misguided and hateful steps to make gender affirming care cause for legal retribution,” Moore said in a press release about the executive order. “In Maryland, we are going to lead on this issue.”
There are over 94,000 transgender or nonbinary residents of Maryland and the state has a recent history of supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, according to the press release.
In May, Moore signed the Trans Health Equity Act, a bill that requires Maryland Medicaid to expand its coverage of gender-affirming care.
At Monday’s reception, Moore celebrated Pride Month with LGBTQIA+ leaders from across the state. Members of the Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition, who helped write and advocate for the executive order, attended the reception and praised Moore’s signing of it.
Last night, @GovWesMoore & @DawnFlytheMoore opened the doors to Government House & celebrated #PrideMonth w/ LGBTQ+ leaders from across Maryland, including the TRAC leadership team!
And the governor signed an EO protecting gender affirming care in Maryland, a HUGE victory! 🧵⤵️ pic.twitter.com/qMJYK5oXds
— Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition (@TransRightsMD) June 6, 2023
Feature photo courtesy of Gov. Wes Moore.
