Contact: Justin Vest, Executive Director

Email: [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Montevallo, AL - Feb. 10th - Hometown Action strongly opposes House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 10 which would criminalize evidence-based, life-saving medical care for transgender youth. These bills perpetuate medical misinformation and anti-LGBTQ+ scare tactics. The truth is transgender children, like all children, have the best chance to thrive when they are supported and can get the healthcare they need.

Denying best practice medical care and support to transgender youth has been shown to contribute to depression, social isolation, risk of self-harm and suicidal behavior. Evidence-based transition care for youth simply delays puberty until young people are old enough to make decisions about any permanent medical interventions. These interventions are supported by every reputable medical association including the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Endocrine Society. 

Patients, parents, and their healthcare providers, not politicians, should decide what medical care is in the best interest of a patient in accordance with current medical best practices. 

“Alabama is one of 20 states that has introduced at least 31 pieces of anti-trans legislation in 2021 alone. The politicians pushing these bills are spreading vile misinformation rooted in transphobia to score cheap political points while putting the lives of transgender children at even greater risk,” said Hometown Action Executive Director Justin Vest.

The Republican-led legislature has taken no steps to ensure equitable or safe participation by the public despite having months to prepare for conducting the legislative session during a global pandemic. Our transgender leadership team denounces this assault on transgender youth and efforts to shut out members of the public who are unable or unwilling to further risk their health and safety by only allowing in-person testimony agains this bill.

Part of the political process involves hearing from the public, and we currently have no way to do this without risking contracting COVID-19, even as our hospitals are overburdened and tens of thousands of the most marginalized in Alabama remain uninsured.

Hometown Action is building a multiracial, working class, trans/queer-affirming movement for racial, gender, economic, and climate justice in rural and small town communities across Alabama.

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