Transgender minors in West Virginia — who are already at a high risk of killing themselves — would be unable to get gender-affirming medical care under a bill passed by the House of Delegates Wednesday.
A study by WVU found up to 7% of middle and high school students surveyed in rural Appalachia have a gender identity that did not fully align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to commit suicide than their peers. 14% of LGBTQ youth in West Virginia said they had attempted suicide according to a 2022 study by suicide prevention group Trevor Project.
HB 5297 would eliminate the current exemption in West Virginia’s gender-affirming care ban that allows minors to receive puberty blockers and hormones if they are diagnosed with gender dysphoria and are at risk of self-harm and suicide.
That exception was carved out last year by Sen. Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, a medical doctor. In a “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”-style move on the penultimate night of the 2023 legislation session, he read from over a dozen peer-reviewed studies that showed gender-affirming care is effective and safe.
Nearly a month ago, this year’s bill to close that pathway was introduced and last week it was taken up by the House Health and Human Resources Committee. They passed it on party lines during a Friday afternoon committee meeting.
Since then, nearly 400 West Virginia medical professionals and students have signed a letter to lawmakers in opposition of the bill. And LGBTQ advocates and Democratic lawmakers have also raised concerns about the bill.
“These kids — who’ve probably been picked on enough — it tells them that their Legislature, their elected officials don’t even think they should exist,” said Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, during debate.
He offered amendments to allow kids already receiving treatment to continue doing so and another that would add back in a similar exemption for when the minor is suicidal. Both were rejected by voice vote.
During Wednesday’s floor debate, Del. Amy Summers, R-Taylor, defended the bill.
“We’re just saying children cannot have irreversible surgery and cannot take medication that transitions them prior to adulthood,” she said.
The bill says no hormones or puberty blockers can be used unless there’s a narrow set of circumstances — like treating a sex development disorder.
Lead sponsor Del. Geoff Foster, R-Putnam, has said he believes doctors should treat “underlying conditions” in minors, not gender dysphoria, which last week he likened to giving alcohol to an alcoholic.
On the floor Wednesday, he said he wanted to see the exception repealed.
The bill will now move onto the Senate.
