This week, the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with a provision banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth in military families. Now headed to President Biden's desk, this measure forces service members to choose between their duty to defend our country and the health and safety of their children.
Frankly, this provision undermines the very arguments its proponents claim to champion. Rather than protecting children, it actively harms them by denying care that has been proven essential to their health and well-being. It also erodes parental rights by taking life-altering medical decisions out of the hands of families and doctors and placing them in the hands of politicians.
Gender-affirming care has increasingly been delivered through telehealth, offering a secure and accessible way for families to receive vital care, especially military families who may frequently relocate or serve in hard-to-reach locations. This legislation not only strips access to essential in-person services but also blocks families from using virtual resources, exacerbating healthcare inequities and leaving transgender youth without critical support.
This measure fits into a broader campaign to eliminate safe and affirming resources for LGBTQ+ individuals, in physical and digital spaces alike. LGBT Tech continues to stand for LGBTQ+ equity offline while fighting for access to care, community, and critical information online.
We join organizations like The Trevor Project, The National LGBTQ+ Task Force, Advocates for Trans Equality, PFLAG, The Human Rights Campaign, The American Civil Liberties Union, and many, many more in urging President Biden to stand
Comentários