INDIANAPOLIS—On Tuesday, Governor Holcomb signed SB 480 into law, banning all medical gender-affirming care for trans youth in the state of Indiana. Assistant Minority Leader Shelli Yoder released the following statement: 

“I am incredibly disappointed, but unsurprised, to see Governor Holcomb attach his name to this reactionary, cut-and-paste hate bill. Contrary to the Governor’s statement, facts and public record show the vast majority of American medical associations recognize gender-affirming care as safe and necessary. One in three trans youth will attempt suicide, and more grapple with depression and anxiety—appropriate intervention, including medical transition, greatly reduces those odds.

To Senator Johnson and other Republicans, who said that counseling should be the first and only resource for these kids, I’d challenge them to look around and ask where kids could actually receive that care. Our ratio of school counselors to students is nearly 700:1, the highest in the nation—Indiana also ranks low in our overall ratio of need to providers outside of schools. If you say these kids need counseling, I say pony up: put your money where your mouth is and  increase funding for our counselors and for robust mental health services. This care was working for Hoosier youth and their families: the state is once again playing doctor, playing it poorly, and playing it to the detriment and despair of real families and children.”