Rebecca Dow, a House Representative from New Mexico, said that current laws allow and fund transgender care for minors of all ages without parental notification starting at age 14. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
"They're not even trying to hide it anymore," said Rebecca L. Dow, New Mexico State Representative for 38th District (R). "Legal at all ages. Chemical transition funded for minors. No parental notification at 14."
According to Source NM, New Mexico has bolstered legal protections for transgender minors by passing laws in 2025 that ensure access to puberty blockers, hormones, and gender-affirming care. This move comes even after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on such care, positioning New Mexico as a legal "shield state" for transgender youth and their families.
As reported by PBS NewsHour, fewer than 0.1% of U.S. adolescents received gender-affirming medications between 2018 and 2022. Approximately 926 youths used puberty blockers, while about 1,927 received hormones nationally; however, specific data for New Mexico is not publicly available.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, as of January 2024, 27 states have enacted partial or total bans on gender-affirming care for minors. In contrast, New Mexico is among 14 states actively protecting access to such care for transgender youth and prohibiting restrictions.
Dow has served as a Republican New Mexico House Representative for District 38 since January 2023. She previously worked in human services and finance. In 2025, she introduced legislation requiring parental notification if students express gender incongruence, according to the New Mexico Legislature.
