Southern Illinois News

Representative Mike Bost of Illinois' 12th Congressional District has sponsored legislation aimed at ending gender transition procedures for minors. The proposed law, known as the Protecting Children from Experimentation Act of 2025, seeks to prohibit the use of puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones on young individuals, citing potential permanent damage to their mental and physical health.

"I am cosponsoring the Protecting Children from Experimentation Act to put a stop to dangerous gender transition procedures on minors, like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones," said Bost, U.S. Representative, according to Facebook. "These procedures can do permanent damage to their physical and mental health."

According to the act, healthcare providers who assist in or perform gender transition procedures on minors could face prosecution and imprisonment for up to five years and/or a fine. However, the individuals undergoing these procedures would not be subject to arrest or prosecution. The bill specifies a range of prohibited procedures, including hormonal treatments and surgeries such as castration and hysterectomy. Exceptions are made for circumcision and the use of puberty blockers in cases of precocious puberty.

Screenshot of U.S. Rep. Mike Bost's June 6 Facebook post | U.S. Rep. Mike Bost's Facebook page

President Donald J. Trump has issued an order titled "Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation," which aims to prevent what he describes as irreversible medical interventions on children under claims that adults can change a child's sex. The order asserts that many children regret their transitions and suffer lifelong medical complications. It also calls for an end to reliance on guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and mandates a review by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on literature related to children's health in cases of gender dysphoria.

Representative Doug LaMalfa reintroduced this legislation on June 6, 2025, following its previous introduction in earlier Congress sessions. LaMalfa said in a press release that "minors shouldn’t be making permanent decisions to alter their bodies," emphasizing that leading children towards such paths is not medicine but abuse.

Bost has been serving as the representative for Illinois’ 12th District since January 2015. His career includes two decades in the Illinois State House of Representatives where he held the position of House Republican Caucus Chair. A resident of Murphysboro with a background in both military service with the U.S. Marine Corps and work in trucking services, Bost also served with the Murphysboro Fire Department after completing firefighter training.