The Ohio House of Representatives has overridden Mike DeWine's veto of Bill 68, banning gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers prescribed by a doctor, for those under the age of 18. In addition, the bill bans medical professionals from even diagnosing gender dysphoria in minors, and, going outside the realm of medicine, prohibits transgender females in K-12 and college from participating in girls' and women's sports. The Ohio Senate (currently on vacation) still has to sign off on it, but expectations are that it will.
It's a setback for the LGBTQ community and its allies, but we've been set back before. And before. And before.
The good fight continues.
Hello Kirk, Why do these idiot politicians shoot themselves in the foot like this? The medical industry is one of Ohio's largest, and some of Ohio's hospitals are world famous. The top talent will drain away if laws like this are passed, and the state will suffer in many ways--money, reputation, etc. Of course, in matters like these, politicians will destroy anything to please their troglodyte constituencies (which the politicians personally have trained to become ballistic about such issues) and so retain power at a vast cost, including future repercussions.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Jim, as someone who favors The Nation and Mother Jones as reading material, I feel a bit awkward quoting Smart Business Magazine, but it does back up your very excellent point about the quality of healthcare in Ohio:
Delete"How does Ohio’s health care industry compare to those based in other states?
"Where systems are ranked — US News & World Report being among the more popular, for example — Ohio regularly has the best hospital systems in the world. It’s been home to the best-ranked heart hospital for 21 years, a hospital people go to from all over the world that sets a path for others to follow.
"The inventions and innovations that spring from these health care systems become licensed products that are used to save lives. For example, Assurex Health, a spinoff that got its start in part from patented technology licensed from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, has developed its GeneSight test, a genetic test that helps health care providers personalize medicine for patients. AveXis, Abeona Therapeutics and Myonexus Therapeutics are all companies that got their start because of Nationwide Children’s gene therapy research capabilities. And Cleveland HeartLab Inc. and IBM Explorys are both companies that were born from innovations of the Cleveland Clinic.
"Each of these companies are accelerating Ohio’s growth in the health care and technology industries, and each owe their start to Ohio IP. They have either become public companies or been acquired by strategic global powerhouses.
"How are Ohio’s academic and medical research centers contributing to the state’s health care industry?
"Students graduating from Case Western Reserve University become some of the best health care professionals in the country, and The Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati have great STEM programs. Each of the state’s health care systems is working with institutions of higher education to provide internships and residencies that build up the next generation workforce."
All well and good, but what about LGBTQ healthcare in particular? For that, Jim, I'll have to add another reply to your comment, since I've exceeded my word count. Stay tuned.
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DeleteJim, you still there? Good. Here's what cleveland.com (the online arm of the Plain Dealer) had to say about LGBTQ healthcare in Cleveland back in 2017:
Delete"In the past year [2017], both MetroHealth and the Cleveland Clinic have started expanding LGBT care to more locations. MetroHealth's PRIDE Clinic celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and plans to expand its offerings. The program, which began as a grassroots effort by Dr. Henry Ng (he/him/his), the director of internal medicine and pediatrics at MetroHealth, now serves thousands of patients each year.
"Likewise, the Cleveland Clinic last June introduced integrated LGBT centers at its Lakewood and Chagrin Falls family health centers.
" 'I think the bottom line is: It's important to have this type of care at all health systems so patients don't fall through the cracks,' said Ng.
" 'Before the Cleveland Clinic started integrating LGBT care into its services, there was no way for LGBT patients to determine which providers would be good matches. Instead, they had to pick a name out of a hat. Now, the Clinic provides a list of LGBT-trained doctors and, like MetroHealth, has a computer system that can track sexual orientation and gender identity.
" 'One of the things we wanted to do was provide certain guarantees to patients who come to see us that the staff would be educated on language that would be culturally competent," said Dr. James Hekman, medical director of the Lakewood Family Health Center.
"That involves asking sensitive, respectful questions and not making assumptions, he said.
" 'There's, I think, a very important piece in having both clinical competency and a cultural competency," said MetroHealth's Ng.
" 'The Cleveland Clinic decided to put a focus on LGBT care based on what they saw as political and cultural changes in the U.S., as well as an ever-growing body of research on the health disparities experienced by the LGBT community. Nationwide, 4.1 percent of Americans identify as LGBT, compared to 3.5 percent in 2012, according to a Gallup poll.
" 'With the approval of same-sex marriage and the prevailing cultural winds, the time felt right to invest in these issues,' Hekman said.
" 'With its centers now off the ground, the Clinic is developing an LGBT youth program, investing in its transgender surgical services and considering expanding its LGBT center model to one of its locations in Florida.
" 'Despite being called LGBT centers, the Clinic's LGBT services are integrated into each location, meaning LGBT patients are seen alongside straight patients.
" 'They're not siloed and meant to feel separate. We think it allows people to come in as they are,' Hekman said.
" 'With its expansion, MetroHealth is moving in the same direction. Known as the PRIDE Network, MetroHealth is adding LGBT health services to other locations, instead of only offering services at the PRIDE Clinic, which is housed in McCafferty Health Center, 4242 Lorain Ave.
" 'For years, patients could only access the PRIDE Clinic for a few hours on Wednesday evenings, making it a challenge to see everyone and to schedule follow-up appointments, Ng said. But now, patients can see LGBT-affirming physicians at the main campus, McCafferty, Brecksville and Middleburg Heights locations and, starting in August, in Rocky River.
" 'For me, it's been an exciting ride," said Ng. 'When we started the clinic, it was a dedicated brick and mortar one-night-a-week session. It kind of evolved out of that.' "
End of article
Jim, Dr. Ng just so happens to have been once my doctor (I lost him when he made the switch from Metro Health to Cleveland Clinic shortly after this article was written.) I have no reason to believe he's planning to, but I'd hate to have him or other doctors I've met along the way leave Ohio because of the tomfoolery of our state's politicians.
I think sports needs to be separated from the bill. That is complicated but the basics are about the medical treatment of gender dysphoria should not be in the hands of politicians.
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DeleteAndrew, I don't think the bill (which likely will soon become law) should exist at all, but I agree that healthcare and sports shouldn't be lumped together like that. That they are shows you just how frivolous the whole thing is.
DeleteYes, fight on.
ReplyDeleteThat's all one can do, Debra.
DeleteMay they all live to be ashamed of themselves and to suffer their own battles for their rights.
ReplyDeleteRight on, Mitchell!
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