We are deeply concerned about the ongoing discriminatory, exclusionary measures filed in state legislatures nationwide that target transgender youth. Youth who identify as transgender or gender nonconforming and Intersex (TGI) continue to face obstacles in receiving high-quality medical treatment. These barriers are exacerbated for TGI youth members of racial or ethnic minorities. Utah’s SB-16 bill would restrict access to medical treatment for transgender youth unfairly and would unjustly further penalize already oppressed communities. They want to legitimize prejudice against a certain LBGTQ population and encourage its treatment poorly.
Gender-affirming treatment is essential for young people's emotional, physical, and social well-being; denying this treatment could lead to poor health outcomes and to disenfranchise youth. Although studies have repeatedly shown the advantages of gender-affirming care, policies restricting access to care or activities are becoming more prevalent. Policies that limit adolescent access to resources and support, as well as condone discrimination based on young people's gender identities, can be considered an act of violence towards our TGI youth. These laws may have detrimental effects on young people's mental and physical health, and they may also have legal and criminal repercussions for the doctors and parents who support trans youth.
These laws would directly affect members of our TGI community, their families, and their communities by depriving them of opportunities and making them feel unsafe and unwelcome. We are opposed to the government “policing our bodies” and denying access to fundamental human rights.
These bills' impact on TGI youth's health extends well into adulthood, which is the most troubling aspect of all the research that indicates that lack of access to gender-affirming health care during childhood and adolescence can cause long-term harm to TGI people.
As a Trans-rights organization, we will continue to work to ensure that all the members of our community feel welcome and accepted. We are creating safe spaces where everyone has full autonomy over their mind and bodies. We celebrate the beautiful individual image of your body, and we honor the essence of being you. This reaffirms the need for organizations like ours that continue to be a safe haven for our TGI people.