As a transgender individual and devoted behavioral health provider, I am deeply troubled by HB 1664, the proposed bill in NH addressing legal remedies for medical detransitioning. While purportedly addressing medical injuries, this legislation threatens transgender healthcare access and lives. The bill’s potential chilling effect on medical professionals is alarming. Introducing legal liabilities and mandates will likely deter providers from offering essential gender-affirming care, creating significant barriers to treatment. Given the onslaught of anti-trans legislation we are seeing in this state, I fear this is the bill’s intention. As a therapist, my heart aches at the thought of clients who may be lost if they are unable to access life-saving care.
Gender-affirming treatments are medically necessary interventions, not optional procedures, and they are vital for mental health. Denying access perpetuates harm, increasing depression and suicidality risk by a significant margin. The bill’s implications extend beyond the transgender community. Adult autonomy is at stake, irrespective of gender identity. Informed medical decision-making free from legal fear is a fundamental right. As a behavioral health provider, I witness firsthand the devastating impact of healthcare disparities for transgender individuals. If New Hampshire is a state that values compassion and individual freedoms, denying transgender individuals access to life-saving healthcare is not just an oversight, it’s a betrayal of our shared humanity. As we confront the implications of this bill, let us remember the lives at stake and stand on the side of justice and compassion.
Kallum Houlker
Concord