1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

This bill, SB1451, titled "Parental consent; gender reassignment drugs", threatens the health and well-being of transgender youth in Arizona by imposing harmful restrictions on gender-affirming care. It criminalizes healthcare providers for offering medically necessary treatments supported by major medical associations, while endangering parents with potential child abuse charges for supporting their transgender children. This directly contradicts expert consensus that access to gender-affirming care is life-saving and crucial for the development of transgender youth. The proposed legislation disregards scientific evidence and ethical guidelines upheld by professionals in the field. It undermines the autonomy of transgender individuals, their families, and their doctors to make informed decisions about appropriate medical treatment. Such bans propagate discrimination against a vulnerable population and enable state overreach into personal healthcare choices. This misguided policy promotes further marginalization of transgender youth who already face elevated risks of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation when unable to access appropriate care. Denying gender-affirming treatment perpetuates harm by exacerbating gender dysphoria and hindering healthy development. This harmful proposal warrants serious reconsideration in light of its potential for irreparable damage to the health and lives of transgender youth in Arizona. I urge an approach grounded in medical expertise, ethics, and human rights rather than ideological motivations that directly endanger a marginalized community. Transgender youth deserve access to the same standard of care as their cisgender peers.