Feb 16 (Reuters) – Republican legislators across the United States have escalated a campaign to ban certain healthcare for transgender youth, in some cases seeking to charge parents and doctors with child abuse if they provide treatment. This year’s legislative agenda, unprecedented in the number and scope of bills around transgender issues, also includes measures to block teachers from using pronouns that match a student’s gender identity, ban trans girls from playing on girls’ sports teams and require trans people to use the bathroom corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. The aggressive legislative push comes as battles over gender and sexuality increasingly are being fought in U.S. classrooms, courtrooms and political campaigns. Republicans including former President Donald Trump have embraced restricting trans rights ahead of the 2024 White House race, a push that trans advocates fear will harm transgender children.