March 11, 2022: Keep Politicians out of Hospitals and Doctors’ Offices

Posted on March 11, 2022 at 12:00 AM

Republican politicians have lied to us. They love “Big Government” but only when they are in charge.

Ex-President Trump succeeded in packing our Supreme Court with justices primarily selected for their anti-abortion stance. And now GOP politicians are passing laws that will force motherhood on women in 11 states, even in cases of rape or incest. In contrast, there are no corresponding fatherhood mandates anywhere, even in the seven states that allow the biologic father to veto the abortion of the women he admits to impregnating.

The same politicians who oppose abortion have been totally dishonest about the safety and efficacy of the wide variety of contraceptive methods available. Keeping each woman “in her place” is the true reason.

Tragically parental rights are also at risk for children who identify as other than heterosexual. The GOP is coming for all of our children who identify as gay or transgender. Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin forbids the term “gay” to be discussed in schools. Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida purports that “gay is not permanent.” So, our fellow LGBT Americans are to be pushed back into their historical closets.

The cruelest initiatives being planned are to be employed against America’s trans communities. There are 35 bills percolating around the country forbidding surgical or medical therapies for children who identify as trans. The worst example is Texas, which has the largest pediatric hospital in the country. Texas Governor Gregg Abbot threatened to close the entire hospital if trans medical care were to continue. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton concurrently threatened to prosecute all hospital physicians who might provide trans healthcare services as  “child abuse.” It worked. Texas Children’s Hospital has suspended all medical care for trans children indefinitely.

So, the GOP agenda is:

• state-enforced motherhood,
• avoid the word “gay,”
• refuse all medical or surgical treatment for our fellow transgender citizens.

In closing, let’s be honest. All of the aforementioned restrictions will only actually apply to middle class, working class, and poverty-level Americans. An appropriate amount of money has always purchased whatever health care women desired and will likely also purchase the necessary care for our trans children and adults. But our access to the health care we need should not ever depend on being born to a wealthy family, or seeking today’s equivalent of the underground railroad that transported women seeking abortions to New York City and other abortion oases.

— Karen Pataky, Chair, Health Policy Task Force
Director, Public Policy Committee