OK: Extreme Op-Ed Says Shutting Down Hospital Program Wasn’t Enough

by Evan Urquhart

concerning an op-ed by Mark Ousley for the Federalist, a large far right news and opinion website

According to Ousley himself, he’s just had a major policy win. He says his podcast “broke the story” of an Oklahoma Hospital which, until recently, provided gender-affirming care to gender dysphoric youth. Oklahoma University Children’s Hospital (OU) was subsequently targeted by lawmakers, in a bill that tied mew funding for the hospital to the cessation of such care. As a result OU announced it has ceased providing prescriptions or surgical procedues to trans youth.

For most activists, a victory like this would be a reason to celebrate, but Ousley is indignant at his fellow conservatives for urging him to enjoy this moment.

Ousley expresses fury that, hypothetically, this hospital might one day offer gender-affirming care again. He hates the idea that the hospital staff still have their jobs, or that transgender youth might still recieve mental health services from them. He goes on to complain that parents can seek treatment elsewhere, echoing calls for a complete ban on care in OK.

Ousley warns conservatives not to accept incremental victories, calling this one a façade, a token, and a shameful compromise, despite the OK Governor already having called for a total ban. In his determination to destroy any access for trans youth and their families to evidence-based treatment, he can’t even take a moment to appreciate a step in the direction he prefers. This sort of florid, over-the-top, never-satisfied rhetoric is more and more the norm on the right, particulaly when it comes to trans issues, and it only serves to reinforce the growing culture of extremism on the right. That’s bad!