The rally also responded to a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump that seeks to ban gender-affirming care for minors nationally.
(Lauren Chapman/IPB News)
Advocates and LGBTQ+ Hoosiers gathered at the Statehouse Thursday to share resources and call attention to a measure to walk back Indiana’s gender-affirming care ban for transgender youth.
Rep. Chris Campbell (D-West Lafayette) introduced House Bill 1444 to eliminate the ban’s “aid and abet” provision for health care providers. That would mean that providers could offer information to families who seek out-of-state gender-affirming care without risk to their medical licenses.
“This bill is in no way a permanent solution to the total prohibition of gender-affirming care in the state for minors,” she said. “But it would mitigate the risks.”
Krisztina Inskeep is a parent to a transgender adult and part of GECKO, Gender Expansive Kids and Co. She said lawmakers have not protected Hoosier families.
“Our elected officials have not protected our rights, they have callously stripped them away. And accused us of being horrible parents who mutilate their children,” Inskeep said. “This is a lie!”
Campbell’s bill has not received a hearing yet in committee.
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The rally also responded to a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump that seeks to ban gender-affirming care for minors nationally.
Gender-affirming care is health care that encompasses mental, social, medicinal and surgical care designed to treat gender dysphoria. And gender dysphoria is a clinically significant distress experienced by people whose gender assigned at birth and gender identity don’t match — though not all transgender people experience gender dysphoria.
The executive order criticizes one of those organizations, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
“The title, the vile language, the vicious lies and distortions. Everything about it is obscene and meant to bludgeon,” Inskeep said.
Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis) said LGBTQ+ rights is a continuation of the fight for civil rights. And he said the current state and national administration paves a “difficult road” for progress.
“Our kids and grandkids will look back and say, we had men and women and siblings of principle who stood up for what is right, for justice,” Qaddoura said.
Trump’s order, signed earlier this week, says the federal government will not "fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support" gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
