Politico reports that as conservative states pass legislation to block gender-affirming care for minors, families with trans children are leaving to protect their children. Almost 2 percent of high schoolers in the U.S. identify as trans, according to Politico, and they report starkly higher rates of depression, suicidal thoughts and other mental health issues compared to their peers.
Over the last few years, multiple GOP-controlled state legislatures have advanced bills that would strip access for children and teens to undergo a gender transition, including Arkansas, Arizona, Alabama, Texas, Florida and Tennessee; at least 15 other state legislatures are considering proposals for similar restrictions. At the Federal level, bills that would accomplish this goal have not been heard, but that could change under a Republican Congress.
