Nearly 300 medical professionals representing nearly every Southern state have expressed strong opposition to a new swath of legislation filed in states across the country prohibiting doctors from providing medically necessary care to transgender children under the age of 18. Legislation like this has been filed in South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and other states.
Signers of the statement, coordinated by the Campaign for Southern Equality, include physicians, nurses, physician assistants, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals. Nearly all of the signers work directly with transgender adolescents and adults. We are grateful to these medical professionals for speaking out against these attacks. Read the statement below, and if you’d like to add your name to the sign-on letter, click here.
Open Letter from Medical Professionals Across the South Opposing Anti-Transgender Legislation
As medical professionals serving Southerners, we have an obligation to advocate for the health of all of our patients and oppose discrimination. That’s why we strongly oppose legislation that targets transgender young people for discrimination.
Several bills currently filed or being drafted in state legislatures seek to prohibit doctors from providing medically necessary care to transgender children under the age of 18. Some bills even make it a felony for physicians to deliver this vital care to their patients.
These bills run counter to the growing consensus in the medical community that improving access to gender-affirming care is a central means of improving health outcomes for transgender people. Major medical associations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Family Medicine, recognize that supporting transgender youth is critical to their health and well-being.
Many credible studies of trans youth populations have demonstrated that gender-affirming care is linked to significantly reduced rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide attempts. Gender-affirming care reduces reliance on self-prescribed and self-administered hormone use, which can be dangerous without the oversight of a physician.
To put it plainly, gender-affirming care saves lives and allows trans young people to thrive.
Anti-transgender bills would not only violate the rights and freedoms of transgender young people – they are also an attempt to prohibit medical professionals from doing our jobs, an effort to force us to violate existing standards of medical care for transgender patients.
We believe that all people, including transgender people, should be treated with dignity and respect no matter where they live.
For all of these reasons, we stand united in opposition to anti-transgender legislation and in support of gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
Signed,
| Jennifer Abbott North Carolina • Physician Elena Adamo Faughn Adams Deanna Adkins Nicole Aho Angela Albero Joel Amidon Angela Annas Ambika Ashraf Lisa Astin Laura Aughtman Jennifer Badik Deborah Barrett Julie Bass Ransom Brittany Bate Aimee Beardslee Bethany Beasley Spencer Beeson Jen Bennett Ashlee Bergin Gregory Bernardi Chris Bernart Edith Biggers, MD Jasmine Billups Marguerita Blaker Allan Bloom Jamie Brazell Carol Brees Jill Brennan-Cook Whitney Brooks Gregory Brown Joanne Brown Cara Bryan Olivia Buckoski David Bundy Debra Bynum Tristan Byrnes Lori Caloia Lisa Carbone Lisa Carroll Angelique Carswell Justin Cartwright Fred Caudill Reia Chapman Danielle Christy Lindsey Copeland Corey Cox Nancy Crego Holly Culton Dana Davis Lauren Dawood Taylor Dayton Lorena De Idiaquez Bakula Julie DesMarteau Robert Dodge Kevin Dorman George Dornblazer Elizabeth Downey Melanie Downs Megan Drew Gina Duncan Emily Dunn Sarah Dunsmore Jennifer Edelschick Jennifer Egan, MD Meredith Eicken John Epps Anthony Esterwood Erin Everett Saralee Fackelman Keisa Fallin-Bennett Kristopher Fannin Claire Farel Irene C Felsman Michael Freemark Nancy Friedman Virginia Frontiero Nancy Furst Dr. Bambi Gaddist Therese Garrett Cole Garrison Alexandria Gawlik S Toni Georgiana Misha Gibson Margo Gill Benjamin Gilmer Liadainn Gilmore Shelley Gilmore Carol Golin Theresa Gomes Kate Gotelli Beverly Gray Lisa Greem Trey Greene Siobhan Groves Brittany Guerin Larissa Guran Alfredo Gutierrez Michael Guyton-Nunley Caroline Hacker Jessica Hair Megan Hamilton Ali Hamlin Christine Hanavan Crystal Hank Sarah Harbin Kristie Harris Jodi Hawes Edwin Hayes Maggie Heatley Smith Heavner-Sullivan Michael Heibert Timothy Heine Dinah Heinrich Julie Heustis Melissa Hicks Samantha Hill Sarah Hinton Kathryn Hitchcock Elizabeth Hodges Michelle Holleman Anita Holt Elizabeth Holt Diane Hudson-Barr Remi Hueckel Hayley Hughes Scott Hyman Annada Hypes Mary Igo June Infinito Nina Jain Alice Jiang Randy Johnson Ethan Johnstone Jessica Jordan Abigail Kalainikas Carly Kelley Maryellen Kelly Marissa Kent-White Deb Kiehlmeier Jess Knapp Lisa Knight Heidi Knoll Amie Koch Robyn Koeppen Genie Komives Linsey Kornya Aleks Kovalskiy Valerie Krall Natalie Krohl Harold Kudler JT LaBruyere Morissa Ladinsky |
Heather Langan Psychotherapist • North Carolina Sally Lauterio Morgan Lavender Tara Laymon Catherine Lee James R. Lee Cindy Lemberg Laura Levin Lisa Lewis Avery Liberman Jessica Lin Isabel Lowell Karen Luley Scott Lurie Michael Macklin Anne Manley David Margolis Thomas Marlowe Ashleigh Martin Carol Martin, MD Deborah McFarlane Chris McDonald Gretchen McGinty Daniel Merwin Echo Meyer William Meyer Mary Mihovan Mary Monaghan Leslie Montana Peter Morris Arianne Morrison Beverly Moss Sarah Moyer Karen Muehl Hadley Mullen Gabriella Muller Krista Nabar Abra Nardo Nicole Nolan Jenah Nugent-Fullam Julia Oat-Judge Amy Ort Manisha Parekh Laura Patel Sachin Patel Joseph Payne Eli Pendleton Cheryl Perry Stephanie Perry Anna Person Daena Petersen Sara Petruska Samantha Pflum Robin Pietzsch Bridget Pitcock Tonia Poteat Amy Power Smita Prasad, MD Puja Puri Rebecca Putnam Laura Rachal Jennifer Ratajczak Kenneth Ray Brad Reddick Rebecca Redmond Lisa Reed Heather Relyea Ashley Kristen Rezak Angela Richard-Eaglin Lori Riggs Julie Roberts Patricia Roberts Lina Rosengren-Hovee Marcia Roses Schachter Stephen Roszell John Rounds Jonathan Routh Richard Rumer TJ Rumler Elizabeth Sainz Mariela Salinas Kamla Sanasi-Bhola,MD Holly Savoy Randie Schacter Gwen Seamon Jennifer Segura Elizabeth Serricchio Kait Seryak Andrew Shaw Claudia Shapiro Tina Simpson Sapna Singh Irene Skowronek Eric Smith Suzanne Snyder Verena Socolar Cheryl Solesbee Nathaniel Sowa Rebecca Stamler Allison Stafford Julia Sung Margery Sved Sassy Swahlen Nova Swanstrom Jocie Sweeney Heidi Swygard Jessica Tarleton Katie Tart Allen Bernard Taylor Rebecca Taylor Malinda Teague Summer Tebalt Marcus Tellez Ervin Thompson Tiffany Tiffany Rebecca Todd Bell Kristl Tomlin Michelle Topal Eric Tran Michele Turner Irene Ulrich Odette Valder Rodney Villanueva Joe Vuthiganon Lori Wagner Jennifer Walker Edward Warren Julia Warren-Ulanch Kristin Webb Brett Welch Tyler Wellman Dane Whicker Christy White Katherine White Zach White Andrea Winkler Tasha Woodall Margaret Woodward Jennifer Wynn Adare Yanagihara Beth Young Kari Zahorik Angela Zarrella Andrew Zerkle |
