Example: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Republican politicians in some states Working to limit gender-affirming care For transgender youth, several Democratic-controlled legislatures are doing the opposite.
what’s happening: Democratic legislatures in more than a dozen states, including Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota And VermontThey want to protect patients and providers.
Why is it important? Leading medical Associations say gender-affirming care can be a medically necessary treatment for transgender youth and help reduce the risk of exposure. Suicide.
Fact Check: These states pale in comparison to the slew of Republican pressures to limit access.
- Nationally, more than 100 state laws have been introduced to prohibit or limit such health care for minors. Data From the American Civil Liberties Union.
- Iowa, Kentucky And Georgia Utah, Mississippi, South Dakota and Tennessee were among the latest GOP-controlled states to take action this month to deny gender-affirming health care to transgender youth.
What they say: “The situation for trans people in America is dire.” he said. Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke, a St. Paul Democrat, made history as the first openly transgender woman elected to the state legislature.
- She calls the legislation, which passed the House on a party-line vote this month and awaits Senate action, a “sanctuary” bill.
- “People are scared, people want help,” she said.
On the other side: Opponents of the “shelter” bill argue that it would remove parents’ involvement in major decisions affecting their children’s lives.
- Minnesota Republicans as well He raised a concern. Language can be an issue in prison disputes.
Between the lines; The proposed protections are similar to the shields Laws The US Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Seeking to protect abortion patients and providers following his decision to overturn Wade.
- Like abortion laws, most trans protections working their way through Democratic legislatures block the courts Enforcing medical-related subpoenas, arrest warrants, or extradition requests.
Note: As in some states Illinois And California has already adopted such protections into law.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the state’s “sanctuary for trans kids” bill — which is seen as the model for much of the new law — last year.
What we are looking at: This year, another California Mathematics It is moving through the Legislature to protect the privacy of transgender children by publishing petitions for minors’ sex or gender reassignments. Megan Rose Dickey of Axios San Francisco reports.
- Legislators in Oregon, Meanwhile, they’re thinking of including a list of all gender-affirming treatments that insurance should cover, such as hair removal and the like. Frontal female surgeries, Emily Harris of Axios Portland.
- In January, Colorado became the first state to make gender-affirming care an essential health benefit, and lawmakers are expanding protections for transgender people this year. By law Protects abortion rights; John Frank of Axios Denver writes.
- Washington lawmakers are also considering legislation that would allow youth shelters to take in young people seeking foster care without notifying their parents. Melissa Santos of Axios Seattle reports.