CHICAGO (NewsNation) — Gender-affirming care has become a cultural and political issue, with some states taking a stand against it by implementing bans and other states establishing themselves as sanctuaries for those seeking treatment.
In sanctuary states, like Minnesota, clinics have become backlogged due to the influx of patients traveling for gender-affirming care.
LGBTQ advocate Kat Rohn, the executive director at OutFront Minnesota, said Minnesota — like many states — was already facing a lack of competent and gender-affirming care providers. However, since bans have been implemented in other states like Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota, Minnesota has seen an increase in patients traveling for care.
“We’ve seen those wait times grow. We’re talking thousands of patients here who are seeking care in the state,” Rohn said.
As more minors are speaking out and identifying with a gender other than the one assigned at birth, gender-affirming care for minors has become a controversial topic.
Abel Garcia was born as a male and transitioned to a female. Then, in 2020, Garcia began to detransition back to a man.
“I do not believe children should be allowed to do anything that I did. We’ve already seen multiple cases of children transitioning in my old state of California and all over the United States. And we can see the irreparable harm that will happen when they do transition,” Garcia said.
However, some parents believe they have every right to listen to what their children have to say and how they feel about their bodies.
Rohn said the most important thing that a parent can do for trans and gender-expansive children is to simply support and listen to them. Also, to give them access to effective medical care, support them in their own home and also in their schools.
“That’s the best way that you can help support them to live full and healthy lives,” Rohn said.
But a lot of parents feel that they’ve been automatically vilified by schools who refuse to give access to their child’s file if that child does disclose that sensitive information. Parents have even protested outside of school board meetings, trying to fight the stigma that they might be “abusive” or unsupportive of their children.
“The challenge for youth and the challenge for folks in schools is that when you have unsupportive home environments, we know that that can cause real harm to trans and gender expansive youth,” Rohn said. “Having nuanced conversations about that, inviting a broader conversation about what it looks like to support children within communities, I think that’s really critical.”
Rohn continued, “Ultimately, everybody’s best served when the parents are involved. When they’re able to support that child.”