A bill that would prohibit doctors from giving transgender Texas children transition-related treatments, such as hormone therapies and puberty blockers, will likely be taken up by the Texas Senate soon.
Senate Bill 14 was approved by the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday in a 7-3 party-line vote with the support of all Republican senators.
The Bill For Transgender Youth
The bill, which Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has prioritized, would outlaw treatments that leading medical organizations advise for children who suffer from gender dysphoria. This distress can result when one’s physical appearance does not match their gender identity. SB 14 would also make it illegal for minors to undergo transition-related surgeries, even though, according to medical professionals, kids hardly ever undergo such procedures.
Shortly after the bill and several others that would impact queer Texans were opposed by hundreds of people and LGBTQ advocacy organizations outside the Capitol, the vote took place—democratic Reps. Jolanda Jones, Venton Jones, Christian Manuel, and Jessica Gonzalez are among the state lawmakers who are openly LGBTQ and have vowed to defend the community through their work in the House.
“You have a friend and supporter in me,” Jolanda Jones said. “I am a part of the family and I will vote to protect us all because if you come for one of us, you come for all of us.”
Before becoming law, the bill must pass both the Senate and the House. At least 10 of the 31 state senators from Texas have officially endorsed the proposal. SB 14 would also prohibit medical centers that provide targeted treatments from receiving public funding and mandate that the state medical board suspend the licenses of doctors who deliver these services.
A type of medical intervention called a “puberty blocker” postpones puberty. They have been a recognized medical treatment for kids for decades and are given to kids who aren’t transgender. SB 14 expressly prohibits them for transition-related uses. Still, it permits their use as a treatment for precocious puberty, when a child’s puberty changes happen too early, such as in those under 10.
Four days after hearing hours of testimony about the bill, the committee voted Monday. At the Thursday hearing, Republican state Sen. Donna Campbell of New Braunfels claimed that some medical professionals are intentionally misguiding parents and causing a “social contagion” by making children question their gender. Her bill protects families from the “cottage industry” preying on children and their families.
“If there comes a time when a profession such as the medical profession cannot regulate itself to protect patients, protect children, then the government needs to step in,” Campbell said.
The Texas Pediatric Society and Texas Psychological Association, among other medical organizations from Texas, however, testified against the bill last week.
The Texas Pediatric Society and Texas Psychological Association, among other medical organizations from Texas, however, testified against the bill last week.
The Texas Medical Association, which has previously opposed legislation of a similar nature, testified last week regarding the bill without endorsing or opposing it.
Major national medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association, support giving transgender youth social support and gender-affirming medical treatments, such as hormone therapies and puberty blockers.
WBHM tweeted that The Alabama Senate approved a bill last week banning gender therapies for minors. This includes puberty blockers and hormone therapy. You can see below:
The Alabama Senate approved a bill last week that would ban gender therapies for minors. This includes puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Some say the measure is discriminatory while others argue that gender dysphoria can be outgrown. Read More: https://t.co/Xk4Yp9QGxI pic.twitter.com/tvjUvHelpm
— WBHM 90.3 FM (@WBHM) March 9, 2020
SB 14’s opponents and LGBTQ activists have repeatedly claimed during the Thursday hearing and throughout this year’s legislative session that the legislation would be detrimental to the health, particularly the mental health, of trans youths.
“Research has consistently found that access to this medical care reduces the rates of suicide ideation and attempts in trans and nonbinary youth,” said Evelyn Smith, a social worker student and member of the National Association of Social Workers’ Texas Chapter. “This proposed legislation strips the rights of families to direct their own health care and jeopardizes the livelihood and mental health of youth. Medical decisions should be left in the hands of families and medical professionals, not the government.”