The Reproductive Health Access Project (RHAP) is in solidarity with trans* communities, including trans* and gender-expansive leaders and members of the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement. We strongly condemn the spate of anti-trans legislation that is advancing through state legislatures across the country, and the unrelenting discrimination, marginalization, and stigmatization of trans* people. As an organization that seeks to expand access to health care, we are horrified by efforts to prohibit essential, evidence-based, gender-affirming health care for transgender people, especially young folks, as well as criminalize the clinicians who provide this important, live-saving care. 

 

As of March 24, 2021, there were 127 pieces of anti-trans legislation being considered in over 35 states, and this number continues to rise. Of these, at least 66 are intended to ban trans* youth, especially trans* girls, from playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity, and at least 36 of these bills seek to deny trans* youth from receiving evidence-based medical care. Recently, legislators in Arkansas, overriding a veto by the Governor, passed HB 1570, which bans gender-affirming care for minors and criminalizes clinicians who provide this care. Senate Bill 2021 in Florida, though not expected to pass this legislative session, would ban trans* girls and women from playing school sports for females.  And last week, Governor Kay Ivery of Alabama signed House Bill 391, which bans transgender youth from participating in school sports.

 

Laws that ban medical provision of gender-affirming care go so far as to criminalize clinicians who provide gender-affirming care to young people. Much like laws that punish clinicians who provide abortion care, not only are legislators interfering in confidential patient-clinician relationships, they are also disrupting the evidence-based practice of dignified, compassionate, and high-quality health care provision. Most importantly, trans* bans actively cause harm to trans* communities. Evidence shows that access to gender-affirming care only serves to improve the overall health and wellbeing of trans* people, and can be life-saving.

 

We know that anti-trans bills are not based in science or evidence, but are rather harmful tools being used by conservative politicians to win political clout. In fact, many of the politicians pushing forward anti-trans* bills are the same ones who have been passing laws that reduce and restrict access to reproductive health care, especially abortion care. The fight for trans* liberation is inextricably tied to the reproductive freedom movement. Ultimately, our vision is the same: creating a world where everyone, everywhere has the right to self-determination, bodily autonomy, and the freedom to live their authentic lives. 

Resources:

Donate to Kentucky Health Justice Trans Health Advocacy Program: http://www.kentuckyhealthjusticenetwork.org/transhealth.html?emci=b6943278-3592-eb11-85aa-00155d43c992&emdi=6c7892f2-3792-eb11-85aa-00155d43c992&ceid=7418953

https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbt-rights-across-country

Donate to the Trans Justice Funding Project: https://www.transjusticefundingproject.org/donate-now/

RHAP Birth Control Across the Gender Spectrum Fact Sheet: https://www.reproductiveaccess.org/resource/birth-control-across-the-gender-spectrum/