Indiana SB480

Senate bill 480 in Indiana was authored by Sen. Tyler Johnson, Sen. Ed Charbonneau, Sen. Gary Byrne. I testified.

Indiana SB480 prohibits “Gender transition procedures for minors. Prohibits a physician or other practitioner from: (1) knowingly providing gender transition procedures to an individual who is less than 18 years of age (minor); and (2) aiding or abetting another physician or practitioner in the provision of gender transition procedures to a minor. Specifies certain medical exceptions. Establishes civil enforcement actions.”

This bill also provides for a statute of limitations that allows for justice for detransitioners.

I testified on this bill along with the esteemed Luka Hein, Corrina Cohn, another detransitioner who does not want her name very public, and Partners for Ethical Care.

We arrived at the State House at 8:15am. There were already a lot of protesters, and we had to be careful walking around so as not to be attacked. Even just being screamed at is scary.

Myself, PEC, Corrina, and the other detransitioner waited in a safe room until it was time for us to testify.

The Fakers

Before people could testify in favor of the bill, we heard testimony from people opposed to it. Among those people were two parents, Nathaniel and Beth Clawson, who testified that their trans-identified “daughter” will no longer receive gender affirming care under this bill.

I was amazed by the fake tears. As someone with a borderline personality disorder diagnosis, I can spot that easily. The mother, especially, was forcing the tears out. I watched her erratic, scripted hand motions, and watched her hold her eyes open for long periods so that they would water, and then forcibly blink the tears out. I heard the fake strain in her voice.

One of the manipulative lines she choked out was, “Without age-appropriate medical care as recommended by our doctors, I fear that she will take her own life. … Please give her a chance at a happy childhood.”

This is fear mongering with suicide threats, which I have written about before. When trans rights activists feel threatened, they in turn threaten that a child will commit suicide. This is not true, however. We know that suicide is a complex issue, and requires things like hopelessness and a lack of a support system. Not being allowed to chemically and surgically alter the body will not kill a child.

You can watch their testimony here.

The Threats

The ACLU made their presence known with fear mongering and threats. They threatened that this bill infringes upon the rights of doctors.

“Senate Bill 480 exerts state control over medical professionals by limiting their First Amendment right to discuss medical care with their patients by gagging doctors’ ability to discuss treatment options and preventing them from referring patients to other qualified doctors.”

But doctors have never had the right to sterilize children.

The members of the ACLU who testified also threatened and promised lawsuits,

The ACLU released a statement that can be found online saying, “We oppose any bill that takes away potentially life-saving care from trans youth.” More fear mongering and suicide threats.

Testimony in Favor

Dr. Erin Kay also testified. As an Indianapolis physician, she said, that hormonal medications and treatments can create irreversible effects on fertility.

“Children under the age of 18 cannot consent to these. They’re not able to consent to these,” Kay said. “These medical protocols fundamentally harm normally functioning bodies and potentially cause disordered normally functioning bodies, which is something that as a physician I took an arm of oath to not do.”

Corrina Cohn testified as well. “I screwed up, I never should have attempted to be a woman because that's impossible.”

Luka Hein delivered a powerful testimony as usual.

She said, “They deserve a chance at life to get to know what it’s like as an adult before that is taken away from them and they are made a permanent patient. They cannot consent to the long-term impacts of these things, and it is your job as the adults in the room to protect them from that.”

Luka was not protected by adults when she received her double mastectomy at just 16, before starting testosterone a few months later. This blows the idea away that there is a standard of care, or any type of procedure at all, when it comes to gender affirming care.

Luka works with children and has a big heart for them. She often describes their magic and how they deserve to remain whole.

I testified as well. I write a different testimony for each state I testify in, because there is so much of my story to tell. This time, I mentioned the denial of my request for liposuction.

“I was deemed “stable and well” despite multiple recent suicide attempts, active cutting, and malnutrition. During the time of my transition, I also asked my doctors for liposuction. They told me “no” because I was “too unwell to have an elective cosmetic surgery,” but decided I was healthy enough to have my breasts removed.”

I could hear a mob screaming behind me. I was shaking a lot, and I felt nervous and afraid, but I delivered my speech anyway.

As usual, most of the detransitioners were asked where they received the harm that was done to them. What people don’t seem to understand, however, is that if you have a detransitioner coming from your state, you have already failed. We are trying to save children and prevent harm.

The Result

The bill passed the committee with a vote of 8-3 and will be eligible for review by the full Senate.

Sources:

Bill Information:

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/senate/480

https://fastdemocracy.com/bill-search/in/2023/bills/INB00012145/#actions

https://legiscan.com/IN/text/SB0480/2023

ACLU:

https://www.aclu-in.org/en/legislation/sb-480-ban-essential-medical-care-trans-youth

Indiana Articles:

https://www.heraldbulletin.com/indiana/senate-panel-oks-denying-trans-youth-gender-affirming-medical-care/article_2465e9a8-b3aa-11ed-82fa-ff05847404e9.html

The Parents:

https://twitter.com/ExposeDarkDeeds/status/1628792408778448902?lang=en