Unicam Committee Hears 7 Hours Of Testimony On Banning Gender-Altering Medical Care

      Supporters and opponents testified before the Nebraska Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee for roughly 7 hours Wednesday on State Senator Kathleen Kauth’s bill to ban gender-altering medical care for minors in Nebraska.

     LB 574, the “Let Them Grow Act,” prohibits health care providers from administering medical interventions such as puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and genital or non-genital surgeries for gender dysphoria to patients younger than 19

     Senator Kauth says gender-affirming counseling or other therapies would not be banned, but providers would be banned from offering referrals and the bill allows for a civil penalty against physicians who offer such care.

      Before the hearing, opponents packed the Capitol Rotunda for a rally that called the legislation part of “unprecedented attacks” against the “very lives” of transgender youths and adults.

     Megan Hunt and John Fredrickson, the Legislature’s two openly LGBTQ members, were among the speakers with Hunt predicting dire consequences if it passes.

     Hunt said the bill will lead to higher rates of abuse, harassment, and ultimately suicides of trans children, and she accused Kauth of “attempting to completely erase trans children from the public square and trans kids will die because of it” 

      Kauth told the committee that youth who’ve had such surgery actually have an increased risk of suicide, and she accused medical professionals of encouraging unsafe treatments in pursuit of profit.

     Gender-affirming care has been endorsed by 29 organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association. 

     Multiple doctors testified that parents are always involved in gender-affirming care and the child, parent and physician all need to provide written consent before treatment.