• Transgender Teens are statistically more likely to commit suicide than their cis-gendered peers. I am pushing this petition so that lawmakers in the State of New York (and hopefully the entirety of the United States) will make laws to protect transgender youth, and give them a structured way to achieve bodily autonomy in regards to seeking out medical care via therapists, support groups, doctor's, etc. so that they can receive medication such as puberty blockers, and/or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) without parental consent.  I believe that it should be unlawful for parents to deny taking their child to a doctor's office to get a referral for transgender services because this is a denial of medical care. Therapists should be a given, because regardless of the reasoning,  if a child wants to seek a therapist they should not be denied by the parents/guardians under any circumstance.  However, there should be a structured step-by-step process for transgendered youth who's parents/guardians will not consent to medications. Such structure should  include a clearly stated, significant timeframe (such as perhaps weekly for 6-12 months) that an individual must sit with a licensed therapist/psychiatrist who has specific guidelines to follow aside from diagnosing the gender dysphoria. By doing this, these mental health professionals can build a case for their patient to determine whether or not the child is of sound mind and maturity, and have a thorough education of what taking medication entails before deciding if the child will receive a referral to a prescribing specialist for medications regarding their transition. This prescribing doctor would receive the case built by the mental health provider, and review it to make sure the guidelines were fulfilled, thus  ensuring there is some form of checks and balances is in place.  Once the doctor verifies this, the child would be able to consent to their medication and treatment without parent/guardian consent. Likewise, mental health professionals should also be available via telehealth, and be required to accept any insurance company that covers costs for transgender services. Reasons for this is the fact that many trans youth would not always have means of transportation, or may have low income based insurance such as Medicaid that isn't always accepted. Therapy is essential to all mental health disorders, including gender dysphoria, so at the very least, therapy should be made as available as possible. 

New York state would be a great starting point for this, since it has a large population and is fairly progressive. Not to mention, New York State already has regulations that protect teenage girls rights to contraception.  Currently in New York State, cis-gender females are legally allowed to pursue a doctor to get contraception in the form of birth control pills (which contain hormones estrogen and progestin)  prescribed by a doctor without parental consent. These same cis-gender females are also protected from their parents tampering or preventing them from taking their medication. It is my belief that transgender youth should have the same right to medication, and access to medical professionals who can help them without parental consent, because much like birth control, parents let their personal opinions and beliefs oppress the children that are the future. If New York state starts this, other states in the country will likely follow suit. 

It is my hope that by signing this petition, lawmakers will help us pave the road for our future, our children,  to live life to the fullest, in lieu of becoming a horrible statistic. We all are human, and we only get once chance at life. Transgendered youth only get one chance to live their childhood, so why should we take that away by preventing them from seeking the medical care they deserve?  

Sign this petition, and show that you are with me in supporting the idea of lawmakers protecting transgender youth rights!