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As community members, mental health providers and scientists, we urge our representatives and neighbors to support An Act to Increase Access to Necessary Medical Care for Certain Minors ( LD 535), which would allow 16- and 17-year-olds in Maine to access gender-affirming care without parental consent.
The dangers of restricting gender-affirming care have led many organizations, such as the American Psychological Association, to take a firm stance supporting access to trans health care.
Gender-affirming care saves lives. Trans youth are at increased risk for depression and suicide due to chronic stress, bullying and inadequate safety in schools, communities and homes. These stressors can be exacerbated in rural areas, like much of our state, due to isolation and lack of resources. We know that access to gender-affirming care significantly lowers this risk and prevents deaths, particularly for youth in otherwise unsupportive environments.
Trans teens are capable of making health care decisions. Exploration of identity is a healthy part of adolescent development which, if delayed or discouraged, causes significant short- and long-term harms. Gender-affirming care should, therefore, join the many areas of health care where minors can already consent on their own in Maine, such as mental health care and contraception.
The decision to reduce suicide risk for Maine teens should be an easy one. Amid an ongoing nationwide youth mental health crisis, vulnerable teens in our communities deserve support, autonomy and safety. Please write, call, or email your representatives to let them know that you support LD 535 to ensure lifesaving health care access for Maine’s trans youth.
Patricia Goodhines
Jennifer B. Blossom
Bangor