According to The Trevor Project, transgender children are more likely to face violence and experience depression and suicidal tendencies. // Photo courtesy of Freepik.com.

Arkansas legislators on Tuesday, April 6 overturned Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s previous veto of a bill that sought to restrict gender-affirming care for transgender children. The law, known as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act, prohibits doctors from providing gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy to transgender minors. This new law includes those who were already receiving treatment with parental consent, according to reports from CBS News.  

This is not the first anti-LGBTQ+ law to be considered in Arkansas’ House and Senate, as it followed Hutchinson’s previous support of two other anti-transgender bills. One of the bills allows doctors to refuse treatment to LGBTQ+ people due to their religious beliefs, and another would ban transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports. These bills follow the introduction of similar proposals in North Carolina, Texas and Michigan. This has made 2021 a record year for anti-transgender legislation, according to the Human Rights Campaign.  

Members of the Hofstra community from states that have passed anti-transgender legislation have seen some of the effects these laws can have on students. 

“[After HB2 was passed, and before it was repealed], the only safe spaces for trans students  were those where adults [were] willing to break rules,” said Olivia Kinigson, a senior biology major, in reference to some of the anti-transgender legislation in her home state of North Carolina, which passed in 2017. “Our school administration was making exceptions on the down-low and unofficially said trans kids could use whatever bathroom they identified with. This was definitely not universal, and I think the situation would’ve been worse without school officials making those exceptions for trans students.” 

In a Human Rights Campaign press release, organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association and the Child Welfare League of America, among others, all spoke out against the legislation, saying, “these appalling proposals would compromise the safety and well-being of the young people we all have the duty and obligation to support and protect.” 

Proponents of the law argue that gender-affirming care is dangerous and irreversible.

These claims have been disputed by Politifact, which reports that hormone replacement therapy is not often provided to minors under 16 years old who haven’t shown continuous signs of gender dysphoria. A similar report from Pharma: Technology Focus states that puberty blockers are entirely reversible and are a safe option for transgender children experiencing dysphoria.  

While Republican legislators propose that gender-affirming care and policies will harm children, a 2020 report from the Trevor Project found that around 52% of transgender youth had considered suicide in the past year, whereas affirmative care lowered suicidal ideation.  

Some Hofstra students say anti-transgender politics have no place in society. 

“I believe the mere discussion of anti-trans legislation allows transphobia to be seen as a legitimate political stance instead of the uninformed – or at worst bigoted – opinion which it truly is,” said sophomore television major Mary Gilberto. “It fuels the idea that the existence of trans people is up for discussion instead of recognizing that they are real people.” 

The Arkansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union already plans to fight this legislation in court. In a statement released on Tuesday, April 6, executive director Holly Dickson said, “Attempting to block trans youth from the care they need simply because of who they are is not only wrong, it’s also illegal, and we will be filing a lawsuit to challenge this law in court.” 

The Hofstra community expresses support for transgender people throughout these spikes in anti-trans legislation. 

“People care about you, and people are still fighting for you,” said Jude DeWalt, a freshman communication arts major. “I know it’s hard to deal with a society that rejects you, but you are worthy and deserving of humanity and you are beautiful in your own becoming.”