On August 6, a judge upheld a draconian Ohio law that bans gender-affirming care for minors.
This bill prevents doctors from giving minors puberty blockers, hormones, or any gender-affirming surgeries. It also bans healthcare providers from helping minors get such care in other states. It requires mental health professionals to report annually on the minors they treat for gender issues while also prohibiting Medicaid from covering gender transition services.
As an activist committed to advancing equitable healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community, I feel a profound sense of horror. This policy, cloaked in the guise of "protecting children," isn't just an assault on the medical rights of transgender youth; it starkly mirrors historical instances of medical apartheid.
It's more than a failure of compassion but a blatant violation of a fundamental human right to health, per the United Nations in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration dictates that everyone should access necessary medical care without prejudice. It is ironic the United States, which led the effort to draft and adopt these rights, now finds itself at the forefront of domestic legislative efforts targeting transgender individuals.
Gender-affirming care is not a frivolous or elective choice but a critical medical intervention recognized by major health organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. For many transgender individuals, especially youth, access to hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and counseling is life-saving. Studies consistently show these interventions significantly reduce rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among transgender people.
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Ohio's new law slams the door on these necessary treatments, forcing transgender minors into a harsh world of neglect. By denying them the care that aligns with their gender identity, Ohio is stripping them of their agency and right to self-determination.
Medical apartheid refers to historical and global injustices in healthcare access, such as South Africa's apartheid, India's caste discrimination, and the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in the US. The term is a belief in the inherent inferiority or undesirability of the affected group and that some lives are less worthy of care. By imposing state-sanctioned barriers to healthcare based not on medical evidence but on ideological beliefs and prejudice, Ohio's transgender care ban is equivalent to medical apartheid.
The implications of Ohio's policy extend far beyond the state's borders, setting a dangerous precedent for more states to follow. By codifying discrimination into law, Ohio sends a chilling message to transgender individuals and their families that their health and lives are less valuable. These policies not only exacerbate the already high rates of mental health issues in the transgender community but also legitimize societal prejudices, fostering an environment where discrimination is normalized.
This isn't just a policy issue; it's a profoundly personal assault on the dignity and humanity of transgender people. The normalization of denying healthcare based on identity is a slippery slope, leading to a broader acceptance of exclusionary practices in various aspects of life.
Today, the focus may be on transgender healthcare, but the underlying logic of exclusion and segregation could quickly expand.
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This kind of medical apartheid could slowly seep into broader systems, affecting access to education, employment, and housing. This potential expansion into other areas of life would deepen the marginalization of vulnerable groups and threaten the fundamental principles entrenched in a multicultural democracy.
The rights and dignity of transgender individuals must be defended with the same passion and urgency as other groups facing systemic injustice. This is a critical moment to stand firm against the creeping tide of exclusion. Activists, medical professionals, and allies must continue advocating for the rights of transgender individuals.
Legal challenges, public awareness campaigns, and supportive policies at all levels are essential to ensure everyone can access necessary healthcare, free from discrimination.
The fight for access is not just a matter of justice for transgender individuals but upholding the universal principle of human dignity and the right to health. Pursuing health equity is an ideal and necessary path toward a just and compassionate society.
Gulnar Feerasta is the Managing Director of the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland and a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity.
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