Louisiana Could Make Transgender Procedures On Minors Illegal
Louisiana is attempting to mirror laws enacted by other Southern conservative states and make it illegal for any transgender procedures be performed on minors.
Now, that legislation is one step closer to becoming law. After expert testimony and an extremely heated exchange, Louisiana legislators on the House Health and Welfare Committee passed a bill that would prohibit transgender procedures on minors.
According to the Louisiana Radio Network, Pollock, Louisiana Representative Gabe Firment’s House Bill 436, entitled 'The Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act', passed in committee on a 14 to 3 vote and will now advance to the full House for vote.
However, it was the drama preceding the committee's vote that took center stage. New Orleans Pediatric Psychologist Clifton Mixon, who opposes the bill, testified that denying this procedure for transgender children will have dire consequences.
“Some transgender children who we could have helped with hormone therapy will exhaust all other options and will commit suicide. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to help them, but the result will be the same. You will have blood on your hands,” said Mixon.
After proponents of the bill argued that physicians are grooming children to have the costly procedures merely for greed and social media is what’s causing children to be transgender, Olivia Gowan, a transgender woman, argued that “Anyone who votes yes for this bill is voting yes for suicide. And that is a fact,” Gowan stated.
“Excuse me, we’re not going to threaten this committee,” said Committee Chair Larry Bagley.
Gowan replied, “I’m not threatening anybody.”
“I’m not going to talk to you anymore, you be quiet, your time’s up,” Bagley said.
Bagley, who lost his wife to suicide, quickly dismissed Gowan.