OKLAHOMA CITY — In response to the Senate Rules Committee advancing SB 129 and SB 613, banning best practice medical care for Oklahoma's transgender community, the ACLU of Oklahoma issued the following statement:
Attributable to Tamya Cox-Touré, Executive Director at ACLU of Oklahoma:
“Gender-affirming care is life-saving care, period. But today, Oklahoma politicians advanced the first of many attacks seeking to bar transgender people from accessing this essential health care, ignoring the warnings of transgender youth, their families, and their medical providers. Medical and mental health professionals agree this care is safe, effective, and necessary. Gender-affirming care is the only evidence-based means of helping transgender people to thrive. Patients and their doctors should be making these decisions—not politicians.”
Pronouns:
Tamya Cox-Touré: she/hers
Stories amplifying attacks on 2SLGBTQ+ people have a measurable negative impact on mental health. We ask that stories covering this topic include information to access 2SLGBTQ+ affirming mental health support, such as Trans Lifeline (877-565-8860) and the LGBT Hotline (888-843-4564). Especially because this proposal targets kids, providing information about youth specific 2SLGBTQ+ affirming resources, like the Trevor Project (call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678), is a necessary act of suicide disruption.
