Senator Chris Rose, R-Monongalia, discusses his draft law, which would further restrict access to gender-specific care for minors in West Virginia on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 (wants to Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography)
Hormone treatment for children, in which gender -specific dysphoria was diagnosed, would be banned in West Virginia under a law that is advanced in the Senate. The legislation would almost close the very close liberation of the state in its gender -known care ban for minors.
According to the applicable state law, Children who diagnose two medical providers of severe gender -specific dysphoria in order to gain access to puberty modulation and hormonal therapy under guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Around 100 juvenile people in the state currently receive gender-specific care, and the measure introduced by Senator Chris Rose, R-Monononia, would post their medical care in August if they are signed in the law.
Dr. Chantel Weisenmuller, President of West Virginia Psychological Association, told the legislators: “As a psychologist, this is a very scary view.”
“… when people suddenly lose access to this necessary evidence -based best practice In medical treatment, we see a clear, significant, intensive escalation of depression, anxiety and suicide, ”she continued.
The Senate Health Committee approved the measure, Senate Bill 299on Tuesday. Legislators of the state in 2023 adopted a strict ban About gender -known care for minors, Association of hormone therapy prescribed under the age of 18 and completely reversible puberty blockers. It also banned minors to maintain a gender -known operation.
The 2023 measure included a petite carving with which children were diagnosed with gender -specific dysphoria of maintaining medical therapy, including hormonal treatment. When a teenager is seen as a danger to self -harm or suicide. The liberation followed emotional statements by some senators. including a RepublicanWho feared a totally gender -specific ban on care would lead to the suicide of children.
Rose, who is up-to-date to the Senate, tries to access this close liberation, which enables a very specific group of children to access hormone therapy through gender -known care. He pointed to it Some European countries Decision to tighten the restrictions on gender -known care for the youth and to equate the care of the chemical castration and sterilization of children.
“How is someone at the age of 7 or 8, ripe enough to make the decision to change his body forever?” Rose asked.
The Wood County Child Psychologist Christina Jackson, whose patients include juvenile people with gender -specific dysphoria, told the legislators that they had never recommended a gender -known operation for a patient under the age of 18.
“I hesitate to add the diagnosis of a gender dysphoria for several reasons. I don’t want to think about it,” said Jackson. “For my patients, our front treatment is therapy, psychotherapy and tries to solve the problem without being more interventions.”
The members of the committee also heard virtual certificates from three people who did not come from West Virginia. They supported the measure and condemned the gender care for minors.
Hormone treatment and puberty suppression, according to Weisenmüller, had led to a decline in children with gender dysphoria over the course of a year, a suicide of suicide.
“If you are with us, we can help you continue to work on this life that is worth living,” she said.
Senator Joey Garcia, D-Marion, the only democrat in the committee, tried to change the legislative template in order to record a “grandfather clause” that would enable minors to continue the gender-specific care if the bill was prohibited with its August.
“There are validated studies from medical specialists who show that this type of therapy or this specific excluded diagnosis has saved life. I rely on the stories of the people in my district and the people in the entire state of West Virginia, who feel like they feel like this, helped them, ”he said.
No Republicans supported Garcia’s change.
The measure was also transferred to the Senate Justice Committee for examination.
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