Washington State Transphobic Bill

[beatrice_otter]

If you live in Washington state, there is a transphobic bill that is currently in committee. It's HB 1214, the "Protecting Children's Bodies" act. Currently, it has only one sponsor, Representative Jim Walsh (as the man's constituent, I'm not surprised).

HB 1214 would ban any gender-affirming care for minors (under 18) in WA, and prevent mental health and medical providers from referring minors to care. It would immediately de-transition anyone under 18 in WA who is currently receiving care, and would outlaw any care going forward, making it a class C felony (punishable by 5 years in prison and/or $10,000 in fines) to provide or refer minors to gender-affirming care.

Representative Marcus Ricelli (a Democrat) is the chair of the Health Care & Wellness committee, where the bill currently is. If you are a Washington resident, you can email him through this tool asking him to kill the bill in committee. If you do not live in Ricelli's district, it will ask you if you're sure you want to email him, and you can say "yes" and it will send it anyway. You can also email Jim Walsh (the bill's sponsor) about it, but I doubt it would make a difference for him. (I did because he's my representative.) You can also email your own state representative, and ask them to vote against the bill if it gets out of committee.

Here's what I emailed them both:

[true story of a young person I know who attempted suicide multiple times while trying to pretend to be cis as a teenager, and is much happier now he is out as trans]

The suicide rate among transgender children who try to stay in the closet and live according to their birth sex is astronomically high. It drops to normal when they are allowed to transition socially and/or medically.

Medical care for transgender children includes nothing irrevocable such as surgery. It consists of using their name and pronouns, and allowing them to use puberty blockers to defer the onset of puberty. It is lifesaving care because it reduces the risk of suicide.

Preventing such care will not protect children's bodies. It will put them at risk by forcing them to conform to what Jim Walsh thinks they should be.

Please kill this bill by keeping it in committee.

Comments

[teaotter]

Thank you!

[redsixwing]

This may be helpful: a study which finds that social contagion isn't behind gender dysphoria in kids.

Not news to anyone here, but it might be useful in convincing those that like data and aren't already sure that 'social contagion' is a crock.

[beatrice_otter]

THank you!

[beatrice_otter]

YOu're welcome!

[solarbird]

Boosted.