Raychel Sanner, Deputy communications director | UNM School of Law Clinical Programs
New Mexico organizations have issued a response following a court ruling upholding Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for young people. The statement, endorsed by the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico, Equality New Mexico, ACLU of New Mexico, Bold Futures, Tewa Women United, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, and ProgressNow New Mexico, emphasized the importance of such care.
"Gender-affirming care saves lives," the organizations declared. They argue that denying access to this care deprives young individuals of opportunities to live authentically. They assert that all major medical associations recognize gender-affirming care as safe and effective.
The statement also highlighted that in New Mexico, gender-affirming care remains protected and legal. "We know from our research that New Mexicans believe families should make healthcare decisions for their children, not politicians," it said.
The groups criticized the court's decision in Tennessee as discriminatory. "Denying transgender youth the health care they need solely because they’re trans is discriminatory," they stated. The organizations see this as part of broader efforts against transgender rights but remain committed to advocating for trans and non-binary individuals' access to healthcare.
They concluded with a call to action: "Let this decision be a wake-up call for every person and every parent who wants to make health care decisions for themselves and their families without government bans."
The coalition stressed that despite political challenges, they will continue fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and dignity. "A world without trans people has never existed and never will," they affirmed.
