This post started with a few of us researching the huge increase in young people seeking Gender Affirming Hormonal Therapy (GAHT) and radical gender-changing surgeries. Susan found an excellent article about the phenomenon in National Review – October 19, 2022:
Arkansas Law Limits Gender Treatments for Minors – National Review, October 19, 2022.
Susan said, “It seems to me that the original bill, SAFE (Save Adolescents from Experimentation) Act, was well thought out, citing references from the American Psychiatry Association (APA), and also detailing the graphic surgeries which may be performed on minors.”
The bill itself, initially passed in March, 2021. Legislature overrode a governor veto on April 6, 2021.
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Arkansas-House-Bill-1570-Act-626.pdf
For more information, please read a description of the bill at Description of Act 626 from Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/act-626-of-2021-15789/
To educate attendees at the October 26, 2022 meeting of the Kennebunkport GOP meeting, Susan presented this Powerpoint information.
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Boak-Presentation-October-2022.pdf
Twenty state attorneys-general including Maine and the ACLU worked together to file an amicus brief opposing SAFE act. The APA was bypassed by the transgender community in opposing the SAFE act.
https://lawstreetmedia.com/news/health/state-attorneys-general-file-amicus-brief-opposing-safe-act/
The brief went to trial and the judge voted to block the bill. Arkansas plans to appeal.
Please click here to read Susan’s op-ed opinion that she submitted to many Maine newspapers.
Links Regarding the Arkansas SAFE ACT, Reactions, and Commentary on Transgender Medical Procedures for Minors
The Journal of American College of Clinical Pharmacy, letter to the editor from Sarah C. J. Jorgensen Pharm.D., MPH,Patrick K. Hunter M.D., M.Sc. Bioethics,Lori Regenstreif M.D., M.Sc.,Joanne Sinai M.D., M.Ed.,William J. Malone M.D., September, 2022
https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jac5.1691
Maine Dept. of Health and Human Services – MaineCare to provide coverage for transgender medical care, October 3, 2019
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/MaineCare-to-provide-coverage-for-transgender-medical-care.pdf
EncyclopediaofArkansas.net: Act 626 of 2021
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Act-626-of-2021-Encyclopedia-of-Arkansas.pdf
Lawstreetmedia.com: State Attorneys General File Amicus Brief Opposing SAFE Act, January 21, 2022
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/State-Attorneys-General-File-Amicus-Brief-Opposing-SAFE-Act-Health.pdf
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit: Brief of Amica Curiae State of California and 20 Other States Supporting Plaintiffs-Appellees, January 19, 2022
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/https_oag.ca_.gov_system_files_attachments_press-docs_Amicus-Brief-of-California-et-al.pdf
Office of the Maine Attorney General: Attorney General Aaron Frey Joins Multistate Opposition to Alabama Law Criminalizing Gender-Affirming Medical Care for Transgender Youth, August 18, 2022
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Office-of-the-Maine-AG_-News-Reports.pdf
Family Council: One year recap after SAFE Act, April 6, 2022
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Arkansas-SAFE-Act-Passed-One-Year-Ago-Today-–-Family-Council.pdf
National Review: Arkansas Law limiting Gender Treatment for Minors, October 19, 2022
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Arkansas-Law-Limits-Gender-Treatments-for-Minors-_-National-Review.pdf
Boston Children’s Hospital Physician admits sterility may occur after puberty blocking drugs administered, October 17, 2022
https://kennebunkportgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Boston-Childrens-Hospital-gender-doc-admits-puberty-blockers-can-cause-sterility-in-minors-_-The-Post-Millennial-_-thepostmillennial.com_.pdf
CNN: Vanderbilt Transgender Health Clinic suspends gender-affirming surgery for minors, October 9, 2022
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/09/us/vanderbilt-suspends-gender-affirming-surgery-minors/index.html
Fox News: San Francisco Unified School District facilitates secret child sexual transitions, lets kids identify as ‘it’, October 4, 2022
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/san-francisco-unified-school-district-facilitates-secret-child-sex-transitions-kids-identify-it
The Florida Board of Medicine has voted to ban sex change surgeries and hormone therapy for children under the age of 18 ,
Daily Caller, October 28, 2022
https://dailycaller.com/2022/10/28/florida-votes-ban-sex-change-treatments-minors-transgender/?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking&pnespid=s_VmB34ZOrwX3_jYtDa6DYuDvBK2RoB5JuSyne1jsAVm866C2VmNna1PqdnN1rJHmdA44wHr.Q
National Review: ‘Gender Affirmation’: The New Female Genital Mutilation, October 25, 2022
https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/10/gender-affirmation-the-new-female-genital-mutilation/
Florida Votes To Ban Sex Change Procedures For Minors After Volatile Testimony, October 28, 2022
https://dailycaller.com/2022/10/28/florida-votes-ban-sex-change-treatments-minors-transgender/?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking&pnespid=s_VmB34ZOrwX3_jYtDa6DYuDvBK2RoB5JuSyne1jsAVm866C2VmNna1PqdnN1rJHmdA44wHr.Q
England’s NHS Ends the “Gender-Affirmative Care Model” for Youth, October 24, 2022
https://segm.org/England-ends-gender-affirming-care
Gender reassignment is harmful for youngsters, says Swedish Health Board, April 3, 2022, Christian Network Europe
https://cne.news/artikel/782-gender-reassignment-is-harmful-for-youngsters-says-swedish-health-board