Posted on Mar 13, 2022
Health care providers for trans people debunk new Alabama legislation's misinformation
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Health care providers that serve the transgender community in Alabama are struggling to make sense of a new bill moving quickly through the state legislature.
The Vulnerable Child Protection Act would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the state.
The Vulnerable Child Protection Act would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the state.
Health care providers for trans people debunk new Alabama legislation's misinformation
Posted from abcnews.go.com
Transgender
LGBTQ+
Gender
Children
Health
Posted 2 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Pediatric endocrinologist Hussein Abdullatif, who provides gender-affirming care for trans youth, said the legislation leaves many questions: Will trans youth be able to continue seeing their physicians? Will they be able to receive their medications?
"I worry about my patients," Abdullatif told ABC News. "They already are showing a great deal of anxiety related to what's going to happen."
Abdullatif says it is not only his transgender patients' physical health but also their mental health that is of concern. He said he has seen firsthand the way discrimination and lack of care can affect his trans patients.
"I do know of a kid who already attempted three times suicide -- not because of law, of course, because they haven't passed it yet -- but because of resistance by the mother of the child to the idea of being transgender," he said.
PHOTO: In this March 30, 2021 file photo opponents of several bills targeting transgender youth attend a rally at the Alabama State House to draw attention to anti-transgender legislation, in Montgomery, Ala.
The bill states that anyone who provides gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy or physical gender-affirming surgeries to anyone under 18, could be convicted of a felony and face up to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
The bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. Shay Shelnutt, called gender-affirming health care, "child abuse."
"We don’t want parents to be abusing their children. We don’t want to make that an option, because that’s what it is, it’s child abuse. This is just to protect children," Shelnutt said on Feb. 23 on the state Senate floor."...
..."Pediatric endocrinologist Hussein Abdullatif, who provides gender-affirming care for trans youth, said the legislation leaves many questions: Will trans youth be able to continue seeing their physicians? Will they be able to receive their medications?
"I worry about my patients," Abdullatif told ABC News. "They already are showing a great deal of anxiety related to what's going to happen."
Abdullatif says it is not only his transgender patients' physical health but also their mental health that is of concern. He said he has seen firsthand the way discrimination and lack of care can affect his trans patients.
"I do know of a kid who already attempted three times suicide -- not because of law, of course, because they haven't passed it yet -- but because of resistance by the mother of the child to the idea of being transgender," he said.
PHOTO: In this March 30, 2021 file photo opponents of several bills targeting transgender youth attend a rally at the Alabama State House to draw attention to anti-transgender legislation, in Montgomery, Ala.
The bill states that anyone who provides gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy or physical gender-affirming surgeries to anyone under 18, could be convicted of a felony and face up to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
The bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. Shay Shelnutt, called gender-affirming health care, "child abuse."
"We don’t want parents to be abusing their children. We don’t want to make that an option, because that’s what it is, it’s child abuse. This is just to protect children," Shelnutt said on Feb. 23 on the state Senate floor."...
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