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Vote NO on SB2696 on Feb 23

Please, vote NO on SB2696 when it comes before the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on February 23.
<span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People have a right to seek best-practice health care, including transgender youth. And physicians have a right to provide it. People have a right to be themselves, as long as it harms no one else. Gender-affirming care harms no one, but makes it possible for transgender people of all ages to live better lives.
 
<span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Research published in February 2020 in Pediatrics found that transgender youth who received gender-affirming care were significantly less likely to have suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to those who wanted it but did not receive it.
 
<span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Institutions including the Endocrine Society, American Medical Society, American Psychological Society, American Psychiatric Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics all advocate for supporting children as they navigate gender identity concerns. And they all agree that safely guided gender transition in children (in collaboration with parents and medical providers) is not a criminal offense, but standard and ethical practice.
 
<span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tennessee should not unilaterally change the standard of care in any area of medicine and then put it in a punitive form in our law code. That creates extreme distress for patients and confusion for medical professionals. 
 
<span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The provisions of the bill related to counseling are also detrimental to youth well-being. Forcing mental health professionals to divulge information about youth exploring gender identity and expression will shut down open communication between youth and counselors. 
 
<span style="font-size: 13.999999999999998pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for considering my views.

Send me occasional emails about this issue

Summary

This bill bans gender-affirming health care for minors. There are penalties for health care providers who violate the bill. School employees will be forced to out their students, which will shut down communication with school personnel.

Who will receive your email?

Rusty Crowe Senator

Ferrell Haile Senator

Joey Hensley Senator

Shane Reeves Senator

Jeff Yarbro Senator

Ed Jackson Senator

Bo Watson Senator

Becky Massey Senator

Art Swann Senator

why sign?

The State should not interfere with best-practice medical care.
Gender-affirming care saves lives.