Politics

North Carolina introduces bill that would restrict youth access to transgender treatments and surgeries

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The North Carolina State Senate has introduced a bill that would restrict youth access to transgender treatments and surgeries.

The three Republican sponsors of the bill were Ralph Hise, Warren Daniel, and Norman Sanderson. The Senate bill 514 prevents minors from getting treatments from hormone blockers to sex reassignement surgeries. A similar bill had also been introduced in Arkansas where the governor Asa Hutchinson had vetoed the bill. However, the state legislature overrode that veto. Both these bills follow a nationwide trend of GOP legislature’s introducing bills and measures against Transgender treatments such as puberty-blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-reassignment surgery. The argument the bill’s defenders proposed is that pursuing irreversible medical treatment based on a gender dysphoria diagnosis could lead to long-term health issues.

Instead of medical treatments the bill proposes that no healthcare providers or medical professionals can perform any gender-affirming procedures on a minor such as puberty-blocking medication, hormone therapy, and gender changing surgery. Another proposition introduced in this bill is that government and school employees are required to tell a child’s parent if their child is exhibiting any symptoms of gender nonconformity. If they do get a report that their child is exhibiting symptoms of gender nonconformity, the parents will be allowed to bar their children from pursuing treatment that “are designed and intended to form their child’s conceptions of sex and gender or to treat gender dysphoria or gender non-conformity.” In addition, the bill legalizes therapies and counseling based on religious beliefs.

A 2018 Brown University survey of parents whose children suddenly developed gender dysphoria symptoms found that 45% of parents reported their children had both (a) at least one friend become transgender and (b) increased social media use – both of which coincided with onset of GD. The Brown survey also found that 62% of parents reported their child had at least one diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disability before developing gender dysphoria and 48% reported their child had experienced.a traumatic event prior. According to Heritage Foundation, 80%-95% of children tend to resolve their dysphoria.

The chances of this bill becoming law is very slim even though the Republicans control both the Senate and the House. Many LGBTQ+ organizations and members have come in opposition of this bill. As well they’ve come out against similar bills in other states that reduce trasngender access to healthcare and bills which have restricted transgender participation in sports. Sam Brinton of the advocacy and government affairs at the Trevor project told the New York Times “These types of bills endanger young trans lives,” in response to a bill that passed in Arkansas. Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara who is the executive director of the campaign for Southern equality stated, “Transgender youth have the best chance to thrive when they are supported and affirmed, not singled out and denied critical care that is backed by virtually every leading health authority.”

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ARTICLE: AANAND MOHATO

POLITICS EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE

PHOTO CREDITS: BRITANICA

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