Human Rights Campaign declares LGBTQ state of emergency in US https://www.reuters.com/world/us/human-rights-campaign-declares-lgbtq-state-emergency-us-2023-06-06/ June 6 (Reuters) - The largest LGBTQ advocacy organization in the United States on Tuesday declared its first national state of emergency, citing the proliferation of legislation in statehouses across the country aimed at regulating the lives of queer people. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said over 70 bills it considers anti-LGBTQ were passed in statehouses this legislative session, double last year's previous record. Some 525 bills were introduced, virtually all by Republicans, including more than 220 affecting transgender people, HRC said. The number of such bills introduced has steadily increased in recent years, growing from 115 in 2015, HRC said. As a result, more families with LGBTQ members have been subjected to threats, with some choosing to move to safer places, HRC said, citing survey data and stories from parents. The declaration included a "know before you go" guide to help LGBTQ people navigate the mounting state laws. HRC President Kelley Robinson named Florida, Tennessee and Texas as the most hostile states, saying Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had "weaponized his position." "These laws are fueled by an anti-LGBTQ+ Republican establishment - and coordinated, well-funded extremist groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom, Heritage Foundation and the Family Policy Alliance - insistent on trying to control our families and lives," Robinson said in a statement. The Alliance Defending Freedom called the HRC statement "slanderous," saying it was committed to religious liberty, parental rights and the "sanctity of life." "No amount of false accusations will deter us from our mission," Senior Vice President Jeremy Tedesco said in a statement. Jeremy Redfern, a spokesperson for DeSantis, was more blunt, saying, "This is a stunt." Promoters of the transgender bills say they protect children from misguided parents and doctors who support gender transition for those who identify with a gender distinct from the sex they were assigned at birth, even though major medical associations endorse gender-affirming care as often necessary and sometimes life saving. Twenty states now ban gender-affirming care, and 32 states introduced such legislation this year, HRC said. HRC praised Michigan and Minnesota for expanding LGBTQ rights in 2022-23.
There are currently 556 bills regarding kids and genitals all from the GOP side across state and federal legislators. https://www.mediamatters.org/facebo...rly-two-thirds-interactions-posts-about-trans Also 2/3rds of all trans content posted on social media is from right wing sources. So who's more obsessed with children's genitalia?
There are also literally bills at the state level trying to be passed that creates a body of adults inspecting children's genitalia before they join a school sports program. And they ain't liberals.
What's the ratio of bills authored by the GOP for bills regarding rasing rent prices and bills regarding children's genitals if you were to do a guesstimate across all state legislators in the nation? If I were to guess it's one bill regarding rent pricing for every 556 bills regarding children's genitals.
FWIW Very very few insurance companies in the USA will pay for bottom or top surgery for someone under 18. Almost all of the surgeries that would be done on someone under 18 would be out of pocket. Honestly, I am surprised there are any insurance policies that pay for it, because they usually will not pay for it if the industry standard is to deny coverage. There are a few older policies that will cover mastectomies for 17 year olds, but those have been mostly phased out. Point being, this information is VERY limited. I don't expect the surgeries are a common as critics believe, but there is no way to really know.
BREAKING: The largest “trans healthcare” providers in the U.S. are rubber-stamping letters approving gruesome, life-altering surgeries. It’s such a racket that my producer was approved for testicle removal in #22minutes. The tape is disturbing. First, some background. Ari Groner is a licensed clinical social worker who educates doctors on “trans healthcare.” At a recent training session for the Juniper Center, Groner explained that she writes whatever letters her patients want, because she’s not a “gatekeeper.” Groner was referring to the WPATH standards, which major hospitals follow. They require that trans patients obtain a letter before undergoing surgeries. But Groner tells her audience to treat the letters as a “persuasive essay," and to green-light even suicidal patients. Groner explains that insurance companies won't pay for these surgeries unless the patient is diagnosed with gender dysphoria. So, she says healthcare workers should provide the diagnosis. “We're using that diagnosis,” she says, “to ensure clients get that necessary treatment." Whatever insurance companies might think of that, it's the industry standard. The popular trans telehealth service @folxhealth, for example, instructs patients that even if they don't "fit" the definition of gender dysphoria, the diagnosis is “needed” so that insurers pay out. Folx, which provides letters authorizing surgeries for a nominal fee, goes on to admit that “it’s quite possible” patients will receive a letter indicating a gender dysphoria diagnosis, even though they “really do not have dysphoria.” We reached out to Folx about this. A staff member confirmed that a "diagnosis" of gender dysphoria -- with the word "diagnosis" in scare quotes -- is a “requirement” for insurance purposes, even if it “doesn’t apply.” The largest trans healthcare provider in the U.S., @plume_clinic, runs a similar scam. They sell letters for $150 authorizing surgeries. That's how our producer @gregg_re received approval for testicle removal after a 22-minute video call. In his intake form with Plume, Gregg provided a fake legal name. He said he had dysphoria in the past. But he stated he had never experienced it for six months or more. Under the current version of the DSM-5, that means he doesn’t have gender dysphoria. Plume quickly scheduled Gregg for a video interview anyway. He assumed the identity "Chelsea Bussey.” He didn’t even attempt to pass. He badly mispronounced the name of the surgery he wanted. He made it clear he didn't know what effect the surgery would have. Nevertheless, Plume’s nurse practitioner said she wanted to write the most "solid" letter possible to justify surgery. Gregg tells her that he once wrote an essay in school about being a woman, which everyone thought was ridiculous. Gregg also tells Plume’s nurse practitioner that his father has been prescribing him hormones for years. The nurse doesn’t question this in any way. Instead, she says that arrangement is “perfect.” Three days later, Plume sent this letter to "Chelsea Bussey” – who does not exist -- saying he was experiencing "significant, ongoing gender dysphoria.” The letter strongly recommended “Chelsea” for testicle removal. The letter keeps capitalizing "Orchiectomy,” without "an" before it, as if it's just been copy-pasted into a template. Gregg followed up to learn why he had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Plume admitted they just use letter templates provided by WPATH. Later, Plume’s nurse practitioner confirmed that "in order for the surgery to be paid for," the dysphoria diagnosis would need to remain. At the same time, the nurse appeared confused as to why “Chelsea Bussey” had requested testicle removal in the first place. This scam is the cutting-edge of “trans healthcare.” After launching just a couple of years ago, Plume now operates in 41 states. Folx is in 47 states. How is it possible they’ve expanded so quickly? The answer is that there’s big money behind this. Plume and Folx raised more than $45 million last year. @craft_ventures just led Plume's $14 million fundraising round. Is @DavidSacks aware this is going on? Are @transformcptl, @generalcatalyst, @slow, or @townhallvntrs? Insurance companies like @Aetna, @UnitedHealthGrp, and @Cigna work with Plume. Do they know they’re paying for surgeries based on obviously false information? Some states have restricted this kind of 'medicine.' Florida, for example, recently passed a law banning most trans telehealth services. Trans activists (and the Associated Press @AP) have complained that this law is 'onerous.' They’re furious because they know the “gender transition” industry is corrupt and fraudulent from the ground up. Protecting kids is just one piece of the puzzle. The fight begins there, but it doesn't end there. The whole industry needs to be shut down.
Bizarro world. I don't know why anyone would be championing that they are on the side of Islam. If Islamists are supporting you - you are most likely doing something immoral and terrible. Let's just say traditional Islam is not exactly tolerant - imagine taking your Baptist fundamentalist and shaking him up for 30 minutes after giving him meth - that is an Islamist....
I wondered when this would come out - I made reference to it a few days ago. Plume will write you a "medical necessity" letter one time for a fee of like $150 if you order from their site. Doesn't mean that there are not some people that are happier with gender reassignment surgery - but it does show that this is all really the Wild Wild West at this point, where there is an intersection between profit and medicine, and people are trying to exploit it. A lot of the way things are handled in the EU/UK is inferior to the USA - but the way they are handling this situation is vastly better. They don't have fly by night clinics opening up giving you hormones out of the shoot and trying to profit off people.
Who here do you think supports this (irresponsible behavior in the medical field)? Please name names.
I haven't had time nor interest to fully read their series, but this one showed up on my queue As more transgender children seek medical care, families confront many unknowns - https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-transyouth-care/ This NYT article linked from the Atlantic article is also increases my skepticism for hormonal treatments among kids. They Paused Puberty, but Is There a Cost?- https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/14/health/puberty-blockers-transgender.html Folks parroting the line of "sure there are risks buuuuuuuuttttt..." or "of course there are drawbacks..." might work in an abstract debate, but putting yourself in a realistic context would probably provoke a different response.
