California seeks to be a “refuge” for trans children who want to undergo gender reassignment treatment

California (USA) is about to pass a law that would make it in “refugee state” and foster care for trans children who cannot undergo gender reassignment treatment or surgery in other parts of the country.

Gender-affirming practices through operations or hormone consumption they are illegal in states such as Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, Arizona or Idaho, with criminal consequences for parents who allow their children to access this type of care.

Since June, the SB-107 bill has been trying to make its way to exempt from legal liability to those parents from anywhere in the country who authorize their children to access these services in California, even if they later return to their home states.

If passed, this legislation would ban any state authority order the separation of children from their parents if they consent to any method of gender affirmation of their children in California.

Likewise, it does not include the arrest or request for relocation of an individual for allowing his child to receive this care on Californian soil.

The critics

The initiative, sponsored by Democratic Party Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco, was approved by the California State Assembly Appropriations Committee, and it will be put to a vote in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies Coming soon.

Organizations such as Equality California or Planned Parenthood approve this state bill, which they describe as “hopeful” and view it as it will put an end to the “criminalization of people just to be who I am “.

The measure also has detractors from conservative sectors in California and has generated major controversy in recent weeks.

From the organization Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans they told Efe that for them it is “a scandal”, because, in their view, “the majority” of minors who will require gender-affirming treatment suffer really a temporary dysphoria “typical of adolescence”.

Dysphoria is a psychological disorder that causes distress and anxiety in those whose gender identity is different from the sex assigned at birth.

“Support, yes. Love, yes. A therapy that allows them to explore why they feel that way, yes. But this type of operation, no, why represent a real kidnapping of minors “assured Gigi LaRue, representative of Our Duty USA, an association of parents against gender ideology, in an interview with Efe.

LaRue (a pseudonym used by this person to avoid, according to her, “reprisals”) stressed the consequences of hormonal treatments and sex change operations, because “when testosterone and estrogen are administered to the opposite sex, can cause lifelong health problems.

Charlie Jacobs (also a pseudonym) of Our Duty USA wanted to emphasize this are “in favor of gay marriage and equal rights” and that its position is not politicized.

Studies

“The human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25, so I would recommend extreme caution as well raise the legal age to make the decision to undergo these treatments until the age of 25, ”LaRue said.

According to a study by Detrans Awareness, another organization opposed to these procedures, 70% of respondents do not resolve their mental health problems after changing sex, and Some even regret it.

Some data that contrast with those of the academic journal The Journal of Sexual Medicine, which with samples taken up to 2015, calculates the number of trans women who are not satisfied with their transition at 0.6%. A statistic that stands at 0.3% in the case of transsexual men.

For therapist Calista Termini, a member of the Los Angeles Gender Center, “there is a great lack of knowledge” from many parents who “don’t really know” their children or how they feel.

“It will be important that there is good communication because there are a large number of cases where minors do not want to undergo a sex change operation and are only looking for hormone treatment,” Termini told Efe, adding that for this reason. “The most important thing is that they feel accepted.”

A position shared by Mariana Marroquín, program manager of the Los Angeles LGTB Center organization, from where she provides legal and psychological support to trans people who find themselves in situations of extreme vulnerability.

“Above all laws, parents must love their children. I assure you that they do not prefer that they end up on the street, suffering violence, alcohol or drugs”.

EFE agency

PB