Proud To Care For All!
June rolls on and Pride continues. You may have heard last week’s wonderful news that the Tennessee “drag ban” was deemed unconstitutional. Of course, Tennessee is already preparing to appeal that ruling, but for now, let’s enjoy this win. Unfortunately, this one ruling does not dismiss the similar bans in Montana and Texas.
Sadly, 2023 has been a record year for anti-LGBTQIA+ bills that have been introduced into state legislatures. Overall, there have been 491 anti-LGBTQIA+ laws introduced so far this year. Sixty-two of those have been signed into law.
Regarding trans rights, in the first six months of 2023, 130 laws have been introduced into state legislatures specifically targeting access to trans healthcare. Both the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association advocate for gender-affirming care, calling it medically necessary and evidence based. And yet, 19 states have passed laws prohibiting forms of gender-affirming care for anyone under the age of 18 (19 in some of these states). Surgery isn’t the only form of gender affirming care being banned: hormone treatment and puberty blockers are being targeted, and in Montana, a law is targeting trans people from simply socially transitioning.
The Human Rights Campaign (the largest LGBTQIA+ advocacy group in the United States) recently declared the first ever national state of emergency for the community just last week. Currently, seven states allow healthcare providers to refuse to treat patients if they feel that doing so would violate their religious beliefs. The seven states include: South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio, and Illinois. As of 2022, this means that more than one in eight LGBTQIA+ people live in states where healthcare professionals could potentially legally refuse to treat them.
Wisconsin is not on that list, and even if it was: I would still provide care to anyone. I have never refused to treat anyone who was on my patient care list; that’s the truth. And if you, like me, believe in fighting diseases and not drag queens, you can grab the amazing shirt I’m wearing in the photo for this post over at RiotHealers. Use my code RHXEMILY10 for 10% off your first order.
Sources:
More than 1 in 8 LGBTQ people live in states where doctors can refuse to treat them (nbcnews.com)