Maryland Declared Safe Haven for Transgender Medical Care
metroweekly.comMaryland Gov. Wes Moore has issued an executive order declaring the state a safe haven for transgender people seeking out gender-affirming health care.The order, issued by Moore on June 6, during an Annapolis Pride celebration, aims to protect people who travel to Maryland seeking out gender-affirming care, which may be banned or restricted in their home states.
It also bars state agencies from complying with out-of-state subpoenas requesting information based “solely” on whether an individual has sought out or provided others with gender-affirming treatments.
Gender-affirming care, according to the American Medical Association, is a term that encompasses various medical treatments and procedures that help transgender people align their physical appearance with their gender identity.
This may include mental health counseling, puberty blockers, hormone therapy, surgery, and other services. Most mainstream medical and mental health organizations, including the American Medical Association, have declared that gender-affirming care is medically necessary and beneficial for transgender people’s health and well-being.“In the State of Maryland, nobody should have to justify their own humanity,” Moore said in a statement. “This order is focused on ensuring Maryland is a safe place for gender-affirming care, especially as other states take misguided and hateful steps to make gender-affirming care cause for legal retribution.” This executive order is a response to the recent wave of transphobic legislation that has swept across the country.
