Yesterday 13 brave Arkansans gave testimony against #HB1570, which denies gender affirming care to trans kids.
Among them were pediatricians, reverends, social workers, parents, psychiatrists, and activists.
This thread contains a few moments from their testimonies 1/
Among them were pediatricians, reverends, social workers, parents, psychiatrists, and activists.
This thread contains a few moments from their testimonies 1/
A trans man living in Little Rock: "Those of you supporting this bill are the ones experimenting with the lives of young trans people. Trans people have always been here, we will always be here, you will not erase us. " 2/
A father of a trans kid reads a suicide note from a trans Arkansan who died in 2015. "The state does not belong in my families medical decisions."
A LR social worker who works with trans kids - "There are already numerous criteria for standards of care for trans children. It is offensive to call this experimentation."
The social worker then directed the committee to research she had emailed them on trans healthcare.
The social worker then directed the committee to research she had emailed them on trans healthcare.
Dr. Natalie Burr, a pediatrician representing the AR chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to speak against.
"This bill will cause immediate & irreversible harm to children already getting treatment in our state. This undermines our patient-physician relationship."
"This bill will cause immediate & irreversible harm to children already getting treatment in our state. This undermines our patient-physician relationship."
A Little Rock mom of a trans son shares her story.
"One day he came home and he said he knew who he was. He was joyful when he realized he was a boy. It was like having god in the room with me to tell me to listen to your child.”
"One day he came home and he said he knew who he was. He was joyful when he realized he was a boy. It was like having god in the room with me to tell me to listen to your child.”
Another mom of a trans son, who stands beside her during her testimony, shares her story.
"By supporting this bill you are telling me you don’t trust me as a parent to make the right decisions for my child."
Clapping from the audience could be heard afterwards.
"By supporting this bill you are telling me you don’t trust me as a parent to make the right decisions for my child."
Clapping from the audience could be heard afterwards.
Dr. Kathryn Stambough, a Arkansas pediatrician, states, "This bill does nothing to advance the care of an already significantly underserved population."
Reverend Bergman, a Methodist pastor who served for 23 years, comes to testify about god's abounding love and pleads with the committee to think about what Christian charity truly means in this context.
An Arkansan comes to the table to testify and says,
"Your mouths may say love, but your words and actions clearly say hate. Your mouths say do no harm but you do not heed the clear medical advice of people who actually took that oath.”
"Your mouths may say love, but your words and actions clearly say hate. Your mouths say do no harm but you do not heed the clear medical advice of people who actually took that oath.”
Dr. Michelle Hutchinson, a pediatric endocrinologist, rises to speak against.
"I’ve had multiple kids in my emergency room because of an attempted suicide in the last week because of this bill. I guarantee you children will die and I will call you every time one does."
"I’ve had multiple kids in my emergency room because of an attempted suicide in the last week because of this bill. I guarantee you children will die and I will call you every time one does."
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
