HB1057 failed in Senate Health & Human Services Committee on a 5-2 vote.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1/14/2020
New South Dakota bill protects children from harmful drugs, surgeries and treatments Rep. Fred Deutsch and 46 co-sponsors introduce Vulnerable Child Protection Act Tuesday
PIERRE, S.D. – Rep. Fred Deutsch Tuesday introduced the Vulnerable Child Protection Act, a bill to prevent medical harm against children struggling with questions about their identity.
Deutsch, who represents South Dakota’s 4th District, is a civic leader who has devoted his life to protecting and helping children – as a school board member, in his work with the Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and now as a legislator. The Vulnerable Child Protection Act’s singular objective is to shield children from harm.
“Every child in South Dakota should be protected from dangerous drugs and treatments,” said Deutsch. “The solution for children’s identification with the opposite sex isn’t to poison their bodies with mega-doses of the wrong hormones, to chemically or surgically castrate and sterilize them, or to remove healthy breasts and reproductive organs. The solution is compassionate care, and that doesn’t include catastrophically and irreversibly altering their bodies.”
No studies have shown that these drugs and procedures are safe for children, but the permanent harm they can do is undeniable. However, parents are frequently given inaccurate, incomplete, and sometimes false information about the dangers of these treatments.
“Parents are further told that these treatments are well-studied, safe, and necessary. They are warned that if they do not consent to medical treatment, their child will be at higher risk of suicide,” said Deutsch. “But there’s no evidence to support this claim. Kids who are contemplating suicide require evaluation and treatment for conditions such as depression and anxiety. Castration, hysterectomies, puberty blockers and high dose hormones are not treatments for psychological conditions.”
The hasty intervention for children who are unsure of their identity ignores the experiences of the vast majority of young people. The Vulnerable Child Protection Act will prevent clinics and practitioners from pushing children and their parents to the point of no return.
“An ever-increasing number of people who had so called sex reassignment as minors now find themselves regretting the decision as they’ve matured. Performing irreversible sex reassignment on a minor whose brain is still developing is wrong,” Deutsch continued. “But we can try to prevent harm to those who may later regret it by hitting the pause button before someone pushes a child into a mistake today that cannot be corrected tomorrow.”
The bill was introduced Tuesday, January 14th.
Contact for media interview information:
Rep. Fred Deutsch, 605-868-9010
Fred.deutsch@sdlegislature.gov
An informational website was started for HB1057, visit HB1057.com for more info.
