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I’m writing to express my strong support for LD 1735, “An Act to Safeguard Gender-affirming Health Care.”
As a clinical psychologist, I am familiar with the devastating effects of gender dysphoria on the lives of transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people, including youth.
Gender-affirming care has been shown to have a positive effect on mental health outcomes for TGNC people. A 2022 study published in JAMA found that youth receiving gender-affirming care experienced 60 percent lower incidence of depression and 7 percent lower incidence of suicidality over a 12-month follow-up. Gender-affirming care is just as critical to survival among TGNC people as treatment for a life-threatening disease like cancer.
Imagine being a parent needing to take your child to Boston to receive life-saving cancer treatment that isn’t available in Maine. Then imagine that doing so puts both you and your health care professional at risk of being criminally charged in Maine. Without a “shield” law like LD 1735, parents from anti-trans states, as well as Maine caregivers, face this risk.
Fourteen other states and the District of Columbia have passed shield laws similar to LD 1735 or signed executive orders. Maine must join them not only to provide protection for all people pursuing gender-affirming care and their caregivers, but to send a strong signal to our own residents that we value the human rights of our TGNC citizens and will not tolerate discrimination against them. It would also assure Maine health care workers that we have their backs.
Clare Mundell, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Bangor
