Seven years ago, I was standing in front of the Tennessee General Assembly, testifying that trans people should use the bathroom based on their gender. Seven years later, the Tennessee legislature is at it again, except this time they are attempting to change the medical standards of care in Tennessee to make it more difficult for trans youth to access gender-affirming health care.
What is gender-affirming care? Gender-affirming care is health care that attends to transgender people’s physical, social and mental health needs while affirming their gender identity. This type of health care often includes hormone therapy and puberty blockers for trans youth, a type of care the Tennessee legislature is attempting to change and criminalize, undermining parents’ and trans youth’s decision-making power.
Gender-affirming care has been proven to improve well-being among trans youth and is deemed lifesaving for many. Gender-affirming care is considered a best practice in medical care, as denying this care can be life-threatening.
Studies show that prohibiting gender-affirming care contributes to depression, social isolation, self-hatred, risk of self-harm, and suicidal behavior.
Additionally, a recent study showed that trans youth receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy reported a lower likelihood of experiencing depression and attempting suicide in the past year.
Medical institutions — unlike the Tennessee legislature — agree that safely guided gender-affirming care for trans youth is not a criminal offense, but standard and ethical practice.
These institutions include the American Medical Society, American Psychological Society, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Endocrine Society. If this bill were to pass, it would create a new, more stringent standard of care, criminalizing any physicians who depart from the new standard, even with parental consent.
As a researcher and social work professional, I have worked directly with trans youth, and at one point in my life I was a trans youth. When I worked with trans youth in the state of Tennessee, I was often the only person in their corner.
Most of them were in foster care due to being kicked out of their homes by unsupportive parents.
And all of them, as soon as they turned 18, sought gender-affirming care.
Even for myself, regardless of input from the Tennessee legislature, I would have transitioned and sought gender-affirming care as soon as I was able. Fortunately, I had and still have a supportive family who stood behind me as I started hormone therapy and had gender-affirming chest surgery. Having the support of those around me enabled me to become the person I have always wanted to be.
In a world that can be cruel and even violent toward trans people, the best thing friends, families and even state legislatures can do is support youth as they grow into the person they want to be. Our existence as trans people is not a criminal offense. And our right to gender-affirming care, with medical guidance, should not be a criminal offense.
The proposed bill, House Bill 578, is a solution grasping to create a problem that does not exist. The foundation of this bill is strictly political, not medical. If it were medical, lawmakers would listen to medical experts and institutions, and not be fueled by violent political desires to attack an already vulnerable community.
Every person in Tennessee has the right to seek ethical health care, including trans youth and their families. The state of Tennessee —specifically lawmakers with little to no medical background — should not unilaterally alter the standards of care set forth by medical institutions. If this bill passes, giving Tennessee lawmakers the ability to make medical decisions for Tennesseans, what medical decision will they attempt to make next? Why should any state legislature have a say in an individual’s personal medical decisions?
Act now by sending an email to legislators, encouraging the House Health Committee to vote NO on HB578 on Feb. 9. And if you want to go a step further, ask your lawmaker to focus on problems that actually do exist and affect Tennesseans rather than creating solutions to nonexistent problems.
