Why Ga. gender care bill blindsided some lawmakers
ATLANTA, Ga. - Many lawmakers were blindsided this week by legislation banning transgender minors from receiving puberty-blocking medication.
HB 1170 initially required government buildings to stock opioid antagonists like Narcan. At a meeting on Monday, Senate Democrats were shocked to learn the bill’s intention had been changed.
“I literally walked into the room and heard the discussion and didn’t know what was happening. The bill this is tagged to is a life-saving bill that puts Narcan and AEDs in government buildings,” Kim Jackson, a Senate Democrat, said. “It was a great bill that could have saved lots of Georgians and now, we attached another bill that will undoubtedly hurt Georgians.”
Watson cited a recent study that showed some people taking the medication experience bone density issues and hot flashes. He wants Georgia to follow the lead of the UK in banning the puberty-blocking medication.
The UK’s National Health Service released its clinical policy to stop prescribing puberty blockers for children on Tuesday.
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Georgia is among at least 23 states that have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and most of those states face lawsuits.
A federal judge last year struck down Arkansas’ ban as unconstitutional and judges’ orders are in place temporarily blocking enforcement of bans in Idaho and Montana. A federal judge who had temporarily blocked Georgia’s ban said the state could resume enforcing the restriction after an appeals court in September allowed Alabama’s prohibition to be enforced.
More recently, the Kansas House on Tuesday debated a gender-affirming care ban for minors that also includes puberty blockers. It expects to take a final vote tomorrow. The bill is expected to but be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
Watson, a physician, had said last year that allowing the use of puberty blockers was a way of letting transgender minors wait until adulthood before making decisions they couldn’t reverse. But Watson said Monday that he instead wants people to go through puberty in hopes their gender dysphoria will dissipate.
“On reflection, I thought this was appropriate to make it so minors would not be using puberty blockers,” Watson said.
Opponents, though, say Watson is trying to force transgender minors to go through puberty that doesn’t align with their gender identity and take away the rights of parents to decide what is best for their children.
“What about parents’ rights to take their child to a physician and seek appropriate treatment?” Sen. Nan Orrock, an Atlanta Democrat, asked during the hearing.
Research has shown that transgender youth and adults are prone to stress, depression and suicidal behavior when forced to live as the gender they were assigned at birth.
“We recognize gender dysphoria is there. I think they need mental health and services and things related to that, but we do not need to do anything that has irreversible effects on someone as a minor,” said Watson.
CNN reports that gender-affirming care is medically necessary, evidence-based care that uses a multidisciplinary approach to help a person transition from their assigned gender — the one the person was designated at birth — to their affirmed gender — the gender by which one wants to be known.
Puberty blocking is a noninvasive therapy that can be reversed, CNN reports. Doctors inject a compound or use an implant that mimics the actions of a puberty-stimulating hormone that is released in the brain known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone. The compound makes the pituitary gland less sensitive to that hormone and, in doing so, it essentially pauses puberty. Puberty starts again after the drugs are stopped.
Trans rights advocates wore shirts and stickers to talk to senators outside of Senate Chambers. They are hoping to persuade a few “no votes.”
Jen Slipakoff is a parent of a transgender teen who spoke against Senate Bill 140 during the last legislative session. While discussing that bill, lawmakers said they weren’t going to go after puberty blockers. The promise fuels advocates’ frustration.
“(Puberty blockers) are lifesaving. I know that it’s hard for someone who hasn’t walked in a parent’s shoes but in many kids I know, it has majorly improved their mental health,” said Slipakoff.
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