Cricket Hall speaks against a bill that would ban gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy for minors at the state Capitol in Charleston Thursday. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham)

CHARLESTON — The chamber of the West Virginia House of Delegates was filled Thursday with opponents of a bill up for passage today to ban gender affirming care in the state.

The House Judiciary Committee Thursday morning held a public hearing on HB 2007 prohibiting certain medical practices including a physician from providing irreversible gender reassignment surgery medication for gender-affirming care, such as hormones or puberty blockers, to a person under 18.

Bans on gender affirming care are opposed by several national organizations, including the American Medical Association, the West Virginia Psychological Association, and the West Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The bill is inappropriate and harmful, Dr. Allison Holstein, a pediatrics specialist in Charleston and a representative of the West Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said.

“The provisions contained in these bills interfere with our ability to provide the best medical care to our patients,” Holstein said. “It is harmful, it’s an intrusion in the patient relationship and the ability for physicians to provide care that is evidence-based for our patients.”

Dr. Allison Holstein, a pediatrics specialist in Charleston, warned lawmakers Thursday that banning gender affirming care would harm patient-doctor relationships. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

Lawmakers heard from an overwhelming number of people from all walks of life including the transgender community, parents and allies, advocacy organizations and clergy, urging the House to vote against HB 2007. Of the 80 speakers registered to speak at the public hearing, 78 spoke against the bill.

“I’m here to denounce HB 2007 for the evil that it is,” said Robyn Kincaid, who spoke of her experience as a transgender teen. “Decades ago, I was a trans teen. Care was not available to me. As such, I had to struggle daily with the level of gender dysphoria that often made my life a sojourn in hell. Taking gender affirming care away from trans youth won’t make them any less trans. I’m living proof of that.”

“Approximately two years ago, my child started to struggle with himself as an individual and had serious thoughts of self-harming,” said Polly Snider, a mother of a transgender son. “As a parent, I don’t wish this struggle on anyone.

“After digging deeper into the circumstances surrounding this trouble, my son confessed he didn’t feel like a girl and truly identified as a male,” Snider continued. “Upon reaching out to my child’s pediatrician through WVU Medicine, we were introduced to a gender/sexual pediatric specialist. This was a game changer for my family because we were then given the resources and the support we so desperately needed.”

Only two spoke in favor of the bill, including Delegate Jim Butler, R-Mason, who read a letter on behalf of a constituent opposed to gender-affirming care. The other was Braden Roten, who warned lawmakers voting against the bill could have political consequences.

House Judiciary Chairman Moore Capito presides over a public hearing on a bill that would ban minors from accessing gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy at the West Virginia state Capitol in Charleston Thursday. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham)

“Despite the crowd opposing this bill, this is a red state and there is a big push in the conservative movement for this bill,” Roten said. “If you don’t vote for this bill, we will vote you out.”

Later Thursday morning, the House rejected two amendments to the bill offered by the House Democratic caucus. An amendment from House Minority Whip Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, would have reinserted written consent by a parent or guardian into the bill.

“I am trying to put parental rights in this bill,” Fluharty said. “I’ve heard a lot about parental rights with the aspect of parents in regards to their children’s healthcare in this body year after year, though I searched high and low in this legislation and couldn’t find it. Right now, under the bill currently, the decisions are made between the doctor, the patient, and the politicians, not the parents. The parents should have a say.”

“Inserting this amendment essentially would render the bill pointless, because it would be just the same as the performance of any other care by a physician in the code,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Moore Capito, R-Kanawha.

Another amendment from Delegate Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, would create an exception for any non-medically necessary elective surgery done for cosmetic purposes not associated with correcting a birth defect, physical injury or deformity.

Robyn Kincaid told lawmakers about her experiences as a transgender teen and that banning gender affirming care would not help children. (Photo by Steven Allen Adams)

“I’ve heard that this bill is about protecting children. I want to protect children, but I want to make sure we’re protecting all children,” Young said.

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.

Emily Beane, a transgender woman, speaks at a public hearing against a bill that would ban gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy for minors at the West Virginia state Capitol in Charleston Thursday. (AP Photo/Leah Willingham)