The bill, which the Senate passed last month, represents the first in a wave of legislation opposed by LGBTQ advocates to reach Gov. Doug Burgum’s desk.
They are not looking at the future because they only care about how they can stir up voters to vote for their religious or biased beliefs and keep them in power.
As North Dakota health care providers, we oppose legislation that would forbid health care professionals from providing gender-related care to our transgender young people.
The governor took the action as many states across the U.S. consider bills that would restrict doctors from providing minors with hormones or surgery to help people express their gender identities.
It’s alarming that we, as a state, don’t seek to educate ourselves about the LGBTQ+ community or have the compassion to make our state a safe place for them to live.
North Dakota lawmakers ignore individual freedom, public health best practices and medical research to instead promote an unscientific and dangerous agenda that will undoubtedly harm North Dakotans.
February 22, 2023 08:00 AM
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By Katie Christensen, North Dakota state director, external affairs, for the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
These bills contribute to an environment where LGBTQ+ young people already face bullying in schools and experience greater struggles with depression, chemical dependency and suicide.
February 18, 2023 09:00 AM
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By Phyllis Johnson, vice president, Eastern ND Synod ELCA, Grand Forks, and the Rev. Gretchen Daneke Graf, Grand Forks/East Grand Forks, on behalf of nearly 70 pastors and faith leaders across North Dakota
“Historically the church hasn’t been kind to transgender people. A lot of churches still aren’t kind to transgender people," pastor Micah Louwagie said. "But St. Mark's has given me a lot of hope.”
