Taking a Stand with Trans Youth

Opposing SB480

My statement on Indiana SB480:

I stand with Trans Youth.

I Stand with Trans Youth in Opposing Indiana’s SB480, a Cruel Bill that Forces Transgender Teens to De-Transition and Takes Away Parental Rights

This is a harmful and regressive bill that undermines the fundamental rights of parents to make decisions about their own children’s well-being.

Indiana has always supported the rights of parents and the right to have autonomy within their own families, free from government interference. However, SB480 takes away these fundamental parental rights and grants the government unprecedented authority to dictate the medical care of transgender youth. SB480 is an overreach of government power that disregards the expertise of medical professionals and the unique needs and experiences of transgender teens and their families.

Smaller government should not include intruding into the private lives of families and dictating what people decide to do within their own homes.

Personally, I cannot say I have ever understood the plight of those who find themselves transgender. However, I have friends and loved ones that are trans and have been for as long as I can remember. Who am I to judge? My only concern is to provide them with love and acceptance. This was the teaching of my Church for all people. I cannot walk in anyone else’s shoes. And I know that every friend that has transitioned at a later age has said they knew as soon as puberty that something was wrong and wished they had transitioned sooner.

I hear garbage from the ‘Right’ about ‘mutilating’ teens. This is from the same people celebrating teens working at Twin Peaks or Hooters. The minimum age of marriage in Indiana is 17, yet not a single Republican has decided that we should address this. Far more underaged girls have been married with their parent’s permission than have ever undertaken a puberty blocker that only serves to delay the onset of non-reversible growth. This delays the growth until a teen can decide to make more permanent decisions as an adult, nothing more and nothing less.

I am committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of transgender individuals and will continue to fight against any attempts to roll back their rights. Furthermore, if elected, I will order my city to ignore all orders, civil or criminal, from any agency demanding that we enforce SB480 as I will for any unjust law that singles out the marginalized.

I encourage individuals and organizations who share our values to join us in speaking out against SB480 and protecting the rights of transgender youth. Together, we can create a more compassionate society that respects the autonomy and rights of all individuals, including transgender youth.