“Gender-affirming care is lifesaving care. It's so important for young trans people to have access to competent and supportive care that uplifts their identity. It says 'I see you, and you deserve a full, happy life being who you are. You belong here'."
- Cole Campos, MSW, LSW (They/Them)
KYC Community Wellness Provider
Ohio House Bill 68 would BAN vital gender-affirming care for trans and non-binary youth.
H.B. 68 is currently in the Ohio House Public Health Policy Committee. It has not received a hearing.
Kaleidoscope Youth Center stands for the humanity, dignity, and belonging of each and every young person in Ohio, and we are committed to interrupting that which causes harm. We are adamantly opposed to House Bill 68 which is egregiously bad legislation and a direct perpetuation of discrimination and harm.
H.B. 68 is currently in the Ohio House Public Health Policy Committee. It has not received a hearing.
Kaleidoscope Youth Center stands for the humanity, dignity, and belonging of each and every young person in Ohio, and we are committed to interrupting that which causes harm. We are adamantly opposed to House Bill 68 which is egregiously bad legislation and a direct perpetuation of discrimination and harm.
Ohio House Bill 68 would:
- Prohibit physicians from prescribing cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers, and from performing any type of gender reassignment surgery on minors
- Prohibit healthcare providers from helping patients get gender affirming care in other states, outlawing conduct that “aids and abets”
- Prohibit mental health professionals from diagnosing or treating a minor with a gender-related condition without consent of the patient’s legal guardian and screening the patient for comorbidities, physical, sexual, mental, and emotional abuse and other trauma
- Prohibit courts from considering a parent’s refusal to accept a child’s trans identity in custody cases, including misgendering, deadnaming, and denying access to counseling for their child
- Prevent any restriction on the practice of “watchful waiting,” an approach in which medical interventions are intentionally withheld
- Mandate that mental health professionals report annually information regarding minors they have treated for gender-related conditions, including number of patients, demographic data on patients (age at diagnosis, sex assigned at birth, comorbidities), and the number of patients who resumed identification with their sex assigned at birth
- Prohibit Medicaid from covering gender transition services
"Ohio's youth, young adults, and their families deserve more. They deserve better from the adults and leaders put into positions of power in interest of supporting and protecting their inalienable rights. Legislation and policies such as House Bill 68 do nothing to protect any child or young person; instead, only further marginalize. This is bullying behavior."
- Erin Upchurch, MSSA, LISW-S (She/Her)
KYC Executive Director
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Gender-affirming care is recommended and considered best practice for trans youth by accredited associations, such as:
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Gender-Affirming Care Saves Lives"When young people are not given gender-affirming resources, you jeopardize their mental health and wellbeing."
- Lane Shirrell (They/Them), KYC Community Education & Research Manager |
