By Rep. Savannah Maddox: This bill would prohibit attempting to surgically or hormonally change the biological sex of any child under the age of 18. Recently, the numbers of children and teens who experience “gender dysphoria” and the specialized centers to treat them with experimental procedures have dramatically increased. Treatments include suppressing natural puberty, and giving powerful cross sex hormones. Ultimately, their genitals are surgically removed and attempts are made to create new faux genitalia that mimics the opposite biological sex. These treatments result in permanent sterility and are at best experimental. This bill would still allow children to socially and mentally transition to the opposite sex but would require that minors wait until age 18 to begin irreversible physical treatments.
Advocates say: Being transgender is now celebrated and children are being rushed into irreversible decisions they are not ready or able to make. It is important to “push the pause button,” understand the underlying social, psychological and emotional factors that may be influencing kids and wait until they are no longer minors before any physical treatment is begun. In the overwhelming majority of children, gender dysphoria resolves by the time they reach adulthood. Their normal adolescent development should not be interrupted by a rush to “affirm” their gender dysphoria and attempt to make them the opposite biological sex.
Opponents say: Gender has nothing to do with biology. Children as young as four can decide what their gender really is and we need to listen to them. Transitioning is not harmful and should be done at the youngest age possible. It does more harm than good to not change them immediately. Once a child identifies their gender the best thing we can do for these children is to let them become who they are really meant to be. The problem is not a child’s emotional health. The problem is the transphobic culture. That intolerance is the reason why there are so many problems and suicides for “trans” people.
Prospect of Passage: Because this bill goes against the LGBT “agenda,” it will need many favorable calls to develop the momentum needed to pass.
