Ohio’s Republican governor vetoed a bill Friday that would have banned transgender children and teens from receiving gender-affirming health care and participating in middle and high school sports, as the treatment of transgender Americans remains a flashpoint in culture wars over education and health care rights.

Gov. Mike DeWine said during a press conference in Columbus that his veto of House Bill 68, called the “SAFE Act,” was about “protecting human life.” He cited the testimonials of many families who said gender-affirming treatment saved their child’s life and defended parents' rights to choose what's best for their child.

“Were I to sign House Bill 68 or were House Bill 68 to become law, Ohio would be saying that the state, that the government knows better what is medically best for a child than the two people who love that child the most, the parents,” DeWine observed. “These are........

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