South Dakota governor signs a bill against gender-affirming treatment

State Sen. Spencer Cox Signed a Proposed Measure that Bans Birthmarking Hormone Rejection for Minors with Gender-Affirming Treatment

Late last month, Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill that bans hormone treatment and surgical procedures for minors who want gender-affirming care.

Cox explained in a statement that his decision was based on his belief that it was prudent to pause “these permanent and life-altering treatments for new patients until more and better research can help determine the long-term consequences.”

“While we understand our words will be of little comfort to those who disagree with us, we sincerely hope that we can treat our transgender families with more love and respect as we work to better understand the science and consequences behind these procedures,” he said.

The civil rights organization said in its letter to Cox that it was concerned about the catastrophic effects of the law on peoples lives and medical care.

The non-profit that advocates for this type of care said that politicians are intruding into the private medical decisions of these young people and their families because of professional guidance.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Mike Kennedy, a Republican family doctor has said government oversight is necessary for vital health care policy related to gender and youth.

Cox also signed another measure that would give students school-choice style scholarships to attend schools outside the public education system. In order to address the state’s teacher shortage, the bill increased teacher pay and benefits.

At least a dozen other states are considering similar legislation in what has emerged as a landmark year for school choice battles. The debates have brought up concerns about the privatization of public education. If enacted, they could transform the nature of state government’s relationship with the education system and deepen contrasts between how going to school looks in many red versus blue states.

The Utah measure allocates $42 million in taxpayer funds to pay for scholarships so students can attend private schools. 5,000 students would receive $8,000 in scholarships and the state funds their schools roughly the same. In an attempt to appease staunch opposition from the state’s teachers’ union, the bill also includes $6,000 in salary and benefits for Utah teachers.

Cox said that “school choice works best when we adequately fund public education and we remove unnecessary regulations that make it difficult for them to succeed.”

The statement said that the ban will not deter South Dakotans from being trans, but will deny them critical support that helps struggling youth grow up to be thriving trans adults. We will always fight for communities and policies that protect their freedom to do so, as much as Governor Noem wants to force them to live a lie, since we know they are strong enough to live their truth.

HB 1080 outlaws the prescription and administration of puberty-blocking medication in patients under the age of 18, as well as sex hormones and surgery related to gender transition. Health care providers who violate the new law, which takes effect on July 1, risk civil suits and losing their professional or occupational licenses.

Suppressing Gender Transition Interventions for Minors and Seniors in South Dakota: Sen. Liz Larson’s Defends a State Legislature

Gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based care that uses a multidisciplinary approach to help a person transition from their assigned gender – the one the person was designated at birth – to their affirmed gender – the gender by which one wants to be known.

The Republican said they care about children who are struggling with their identities and want to give them help not physical damage.

Some children might decide to use puberty suppression therapy, even though the care is individualized. This part of the process may include physical therapy that allows people to change genders. Most health care providers don’t offer to Minors surgical interventions are not usually done on children.

“Surgeries-gone-wrong are simply not happening in South Dakota,” Democratic state Sen. Liz Larson said during debate prior to the bill’s passage. I don’t need a state legislature when I am in the doctor’s office.

The signing of the new law was a sad day for many South Dakotans and their families, according to a statement released Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union.

When a provider fails to ensure that a patient has received a full psychological or psychiatric assessment within 18 months, there will be a ban on gender transition interventions.

She’s keeping a close eye on states that want to ban gender-affirming care not just for minors, but for adults, too. “I don’t think that this is gonna slow down,” she says. More and more states are going to attempt to move on to adults, if it is first tried for a minor. Which is why I think it’s so critical that we stop them here in Florida.”

She decided to use they/the pronouns after being assigned a male at birth. Now a seventh-grader in Gainesville, Fla., with a passion for manga and anime video games, and a bedroom filled with stuffed animals, Liz identifies as female and transgender.

A diagnosis of gender dysphoria and months of counseling led to Liz receiving puberty blockers last August. She gets a shot of Lupron every three months in order to keep her hormones in balance for male puberty.

“It’s been amazing,” says her mother, Virginia Hamner, who says she’s seen her daughter “light up” with gender-affirming care. She says it’s fun and exciting for her to be who she wants to be.

The new rules for cross-sex hormones are vague and could potentially affect existing patients such as Liz.

Florida bans Gender-affirming Care Trans-Kids: A Campaign to Protect Children’s Lives and Deaths

“It doesn’t feel like it’s over, which makes living in Florida really challenging right now,” she says, “because you’re basically being told that your child shouldn’t be able to be who they are, and that it would be better if they didn’t exist in the way that you, medical professionals, and the child who is thriving, feel is best for the child.”

“If it gets too bad, I’m also already thinking about for high school going to a boarding school that isn’t in Florida,” she says, “which would honestly make things a lot easier.”

The governor has made raising kids a theme as he eyes a possible White House bid.

“It’s a gut punch,” she says. “It’s so frustrating to hear the rhetoric of parental rights be used to say, ‘Kids shouldn’t have access to treatment because we need to let them be kids.’ When it’s like, you’re right. Well, guess what? That’s all I want for my kid.”

The governor said that the treatment is an example of woke ideology infecting medical practice. The state’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who was appointed by DeSantis, called the treatments “highly experimental,” “risky and unproven.” The Board of Medicine’s ban on gender-affirming care was put in place to protect the children fromirreversible harm, said Dr. Vila.

Many of the members of the Board of Medicine appointed by the governor have contributed to his campaign or political committee.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/02/20/1157493433/florida-bans-gender-affirming-care-trans-kids

Flaorida Bans Gender-affirming Care for Trans Kids: A Conversation-Starter for Pediatric Endocrinologist Kristin Dayton

Pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Kristin Dayton, who runs the Youth Gender Program at the University of Florida in Gainesville, disputes claims that gender-affirming care is risky or experimental.

She says that there is a lot of evidence to show that it is safe and healthy for children. “It’s pretty offensive to me, because I pride myself in being someone who always follows the evidence, does the right thing for my patients.”

Dayton worries about her patients, many of whom haven’t yet started on puberty blockers or hormones, and now won’t be able to. “People are feeling incredibly panicked and sad and distressed and coming to our office saying, ‘What are we going to do when this passes?’ And frankly, we don’t have the answers.”

Dayton’s colleague, clinical psychologist Jennifer Evans, says she is “extremely concerned” about what the ban will mean for her patients’ mental health. She cites research showing that medical transition has clear benefits. “Depression rates go down. Along with that, suicidal ideation and attempts go down,” she says. “Anxiety goes down. The rates of eating disorders begin to go down. Substance abuse rates begin to go down.

There’s a mother named Sandi who heard from her son’s doctor that he will not prescribe anything else besides puberty blockers. “One thing he has said several times is ‘I don’t want to go to jail,'” she recounts.

She said they would like to be shouting about all of these issues at the top of their lungs. “There’s a lot of uncertainty as to what’s coming in the future, how families will be treated, and so on.” She points out that the state of Texas investigated parents of trans children for child abuse.

When NPR visited her at home, she was wearing a tee-shirt that says “Believe Trans Kids.” “I probably have a shirt for every day of the week!” she says with a laugh. “It’s a great conversation-starter.”

Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/02/20/1157493433/florida-bans-gender-affirming-care-trans-kids

The constant invalidation of who you are: What can you do to help your kid? When you can help, but don’t think you have to give up, or why you can’t leave Florida

River started saying he was a boy when he was about 3 years old because he thought he was a boy.

Sandi says she’s seen her son flourish in the past year since he started on puberty blockers. “I have this glorious picture right after he got his first puberty blocker shot where he is literally, like, ear to ear smiling,” she says. He’s glowing. I was sure he was ready to put his shoulders down.

In the current climate, she worries about what she calls “the constant invalidation” of who River is. “Constantly seeing that who you are is a political debate, [or] an agenda item on anyone’s list,” she says, “makes you feel less than human.”

She is demoralizing by the relentless focus on trans kids. “There are some days that you look at everything going on and you are just paralyzed by fear of what’s coming at your kid next,” she says. “But you can’t show that to your beautiful, wonderful trans kid. And it’s exhausting. You know, it’s so exhausting.”

Sandi is on regular calls with other families who have trans kids, many of whom are planning what she calls “escape routes.” They might move from Florida to a friendlier state.

She and her husband think about it, too; they think about moving to Oregon, where they have family. It is hard to imagine removing their entire support system.

“The fact that you have to consider re-homing your family to have access to health care in the United States in 2023 is ridiculous,” she says. My kid needs to be happy and healthy. And I just don’t think that’s a lot to ask.”

Nikole Parker, director of transgender equality for the LGBTQ civil rights group Equality Florida, has talked with a number of families who are actively planning to leave the state.

“They’re saying, ‘Listen’.” The health care for my kid is my number one priority. There are states who will allow that to happen. And I’m not going to sit here and just wait in limbo to see what happens.’ “

As a born and raised Floridian, I feel like we should make sure that we stand firm in our belief that Florida is a place for everyone. And it just makes me sad to see where we are, because this isn’t the Florida that I was born in.”

Trans advocates have vowed to fight Florida’s new rules in court. Simone Chriss is the director of the transgender rights initiative at Southern Legal Counsel.

Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/02/20/1157493433/florida-bans-gender-affirming-care-trans-kids

Reply to “Comment on ‘Gender Transition Interventions in the U.S. Senate Bill 140” by R. J. Bailey

We can be very demoralized if we feel like we’re losing on a daily basis. It really does take a toll,” she says. We can’t do anything else, we must keep fighting.

According to the Missouri Attorney General, gender transition interventions are experimental and that state law already prohibits experimental procedures without specific guardrails.

The rule will go into effect 10 days after it is filed with Missouri’s secretary of state office, which said it had not yet been filed as of late Tuesday morning.

Bailey said on Monday that his efforts are aimed at protecting children and that his care is a part of a woke, leftist agenda that results inirreversible consequences.

Dr. Colleen McNicholas, chief medical officer at the St. Louis Region, called Bailey’s claims to be false and harmful.

“I appreciate the many hours of respectful debate and deliberation by members of the General Assembly that resulted in final passage of this bill,” Kemp said in a statement. “As Georgians, parents and elected leaders, protecting the bright, promising future of our kids is our highest responsibility and it is important that a step has been taken to fulfill that mission by Senate Bill 140.”

It’s part of a nationwide effort by conservatives to restrict transgender athletes, gender-affirming care and drag shows. Governors in Mississippi, Utah and South Dakota have signed similar bills.

The new law is being believed to be unconstitutional by opponents. The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia said that after Kemp signed it, they would use legal means to prevent the law from going into effect. Judges have — at least temporarily — blocked laws limiting gender-affirming treatment of transgender youth in Arkansas and Alabama.

Opponents of the measure argue that it intrudes on private medical decisions and was built to please conservative Republican voters, by being designed to attack vulnerable children and open a new front in the culture war.

The clause that shielded physicians from civil and criminal liability was removed from the bill. The change was pushed by conservative groups who wanted people to be able to file suits against their doctor if they later regretted their treatment.

The Children’s Right Footprints of Pseudosacristane: Propagating the Birth of a Nation

Parents and young people fighting against the bill warned that the bill was likely to marginalize a group already prone to taking their own lives.

Republicans denied that they wanted anyone to be harmed, saying that they wanted people to have access to counseling and had the best interest of children at heart.