Illinois bill would define parents as abusers for denying 'gender-affirming services'

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (TND) — A bill introduced in the Illinois House this month would update the state’s definition of “abused child” to include a minor who has been denied “gender-affirming services.”

Democratic state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray proposed the measure as an amendment to the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Language in the bill does not define "gender-affirming" services.

The bill would also amend the Consent by Minors to Health Care Services Act to allow a minor to consent to their own "gender-affirming services" while protecting health care professionals from punishments for providing them.

Rep. Stava-Murray wrote in reply to a Facebook comment this month allowing children to undergo natural puberty can lead to “irreversible damage.”

Trans kids go through irreversible damage from a puberty that doesn’t match their gender identity every day in this country,” Rep.Stava-Murraysaid. “To ignore that damage further harms trans children and puts them at risk for the mental health issues you purport to care about. Giving access to lifesaving gender affirming care should be the standard.”

Activist group Awake Illinois launched a campaign against the bill, describing it as “anti-parent” and “anti-child.” Founder Shannon Adcock told the Center Square the bill is “incredibly radical.”

“In Illinois, parents who are considered child abusers can lose custody of their children if in this case they do not affirm transgender drugs, surgical procedures such as penis and breast removal, this is incredibly radical,” she said. “And if a minor opts for this, and you as a parent deny that, that means that you are considered an abuser of a child.”

Phil McGraw, best known for his TV show “Dr. Phil,” blasted child gender surgeries Tuesday, saying a lack of long-term information on such procedures could lead to potentially hazardous results.

“All the major medical associations have signed off on this, Joe,” McGraw said. "I have never seen those organizations sign off on anything with less information as to whether or not it does long-term harm of anything in my life. And when I ask about that, when I bring that up, then they immediately label you as transphobic.”

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