The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) cannot support any laws that deny gender affirming care to any individuals. This includes laws that ban prescription medications such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy, as well as laws that bar providers from referring patients for surgery or other healthcare facilities for gender affirming care. These laws prohibit the ability of medical professionals to do their due diligence in providing optimal patient outcomes for trans gender youth.

As nurses and nurse practitioners, our practice is driven by the best evidence. We know that transgender youth who are isolated from gender affirming support experience greater rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality (Transgender Children & Youth: Understanding the Basics).

A recent study demonstrated the risk of suicide attempts is lower among those transgender individuals receiving gender affirming care (Herman, 2019).

Research done by the American Academy of Pediatrics also demonstrates that trans youth who receive puberty blockers have lower rates of suicidal ideation when compared to their peers who do not (Turban et al., 2020).

As an organization that values diversity, equity and inclusion, and whose mission is to advocate for quality healthcare and healthy communities, we believe these laws are an assault on transgender youth that is unacceptable and dangerous.

ONA fully supports the medical care necessary to support this vulnerable population.

***

The Oregon Nurses Association Board of Directors and Cabinet on Human Rights and Ethics

References

Herman, J. L., Brown, T. N. T., & Haas, A. P. (2019). Suicide Thoughts and Attempts Among Transgender Adults Findings from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. The Williams Institute, Los Angeles, CA. Retrieved from https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/research/suicide-transgender-adults/.

Transgender Children & Youth: Understanding the Basics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/resources/transgender-children-and-youth-understanding-the-basics.

Turban, J. L., King, D., Carswell, J. M., & Keuroghlian, A. S. (2020). Pubertal suppression for transgender youth and risk of suicidal ideation. Pediatrics, 145(2), 68-76. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-1725.