Today, a proposal to ban doctors from prescribing hormones or performing sex-reassignment surgery for transgender youth in South Dakota cleared a committee vote, the Washington Post reports. Christina Wilson Remlin, Lead Counsel, issued this statement opposing the bill:
“This is just one more ugly instance of government discrimination against the LGBTQ community. Affirming trans health care literally saves children’s lives. As advocates for LGBTQ youth, who make up a disproportionate segment of youth in foster care, we’ve seen how discriminatory child welfare policies have continually placed ideology over the well-being of vulnerable children. This policy is no different—young transgender and gender nonconforming people must have access to the affirming health care they need.”