A statement on the Ohio Legislature's Anti-Trans Youth Bill
FEBRUARY 12, 2020 – As the tri-state region’s federation of social justice charities, Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati has an obligation to advocate for the rights of the marginalized in our communities. In the spirit of this commitment to justice, we oppose in the strongest terms possible any legislation that targets the rights of transgender youths.
A bill announced yesterday for introduction in the current Ohio Legislative Session aims to restrict the ability of medical professionals to provide medically-necessary care to transgender children who have yet to reach the age of 18 by imposing criminal penalties on medical staff who provide such vital care to their patients.
Bills such as these, part of a nationwide effort and written by anti-LGBTQ activists, not members of the medical community, contradict the established standard of care affirmed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Family Medicine that confirm the medical community’s consensus that access to gender-affirming medical care is critical to improving the health outcomes of transgender individuals including improved overall health, reduced anxiety and depression, increased ability to function, lower rates of substance abuse, and reduction in suicidal thoughts and attempts. It also reduces the likelihood of seeking unlicensed care from someone other than a medical professional or unregulated self-medication. Bills such as this are a direct attack on the rights and freedoms of transgender children and the ability of medical professionals to do their jobs and adhere to their commitment to ethical treatment of their patients.
Simply put, this medical care saves the lives of children here in Cincinnati, all over Ohio, and all over the nation, and grants those children the opportunity to thrive as their authentic selves. Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati supports the world-class care for trans youth provided locally by the Transgender Health Clinic at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and support services and advocacy provided by our member organizations Living With Change, GLSEN Greater Cincinnati, Equality Ohio, and Transform.
Trans lives matter. Trans children deserve the basic dignity and respect bills such as these deny them. They and their families deserve acceptance and love, not actions that harm them out of ignorance or fear and disrespect parental rights of private healthcare decision-making.
Our children are our most vulnerable and important resource. They must be protected from attack. For this reason, and all of the reasons stated above, the Board of Directors and Staff of Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati oppose all attempts to pass anti-transgender legislation and support accessible gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
