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Hi Jack,
A federal appeals court declared that Arkansas *cannot* ban gender-affirming healthcare while the lawsuit against the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act is underway.
The trial is set for October, but today, I want to run through this timeline with you – because I know it can be a little confusing.
In the last legislative session, the supermajority passed the SAFE Act, which banned gender-affirming healthcare, including puberty blockers and hormone treatment for anyone under 18. (It’s important to note that in Arkansas, there are *no* doctors who perform gender-affirming surgery on minors.)
Arkansas became the first state in the nation to implement such a ban – and the ACLU wasted no time filing a lawsuit on behalf of four Arkansas families to block this ban.
Then, a federal judge blocked the ban with a temporary injunction that declared the law cannot be in effect until after everything was settled in court this October.
To no surprise, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge filed an appeal to try to block that injunction. Coincidentally, Leslie Rutledge is my opponent in the race for Lieutenant Governor, and you can pitch in here to help me defeat her.
This brings us back to the latest piece of news on the issue where a group of three federal judges *basically* told her, “No, ma’am. You cannot block the gender-affirming care for these kids while we’re waiting on this lawsuit.”
Their decision upheld the previous court’s ruling indicating there is substantial evidence that the SAFE Act prohibits medical treatment that is in line with the recognized standard of care.
My opponent is “extremely disappointed” by this ruling. I, however, am not.
Gender-affirming healthcare is lifesaving care that has been proven to prevent suicide and keep kids alive.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term or don’t know what it includes, that's okay. Here’s what gender-affirming means: When a child is consistent, insistent, and persistent in their transgender identity, they have access to a whole interdisciplinary team (parent & child, pediatrician, counselor, psychologist, licensed social worker, endocrinologist, gynecologist, and pastoral care if desired) who are all prioritizing the best interest of the patient.
At first, any transition is purely social, including pronouns, a chosen name, clothing, and haircuts. As children move into adolescence, families might consider puberty blockers which are safe and have been used for years, and only pause puberty, not reverse it. All of this is under the care of a highly specialized team.
As Lieutenant Governor, I will advocate for a world where people can be loved and accepted for who they are. Kids across our state deserve to have someone in Little Rock advocating for their rights.
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A brighter, more inclusive Arkansas is possible – and it’s worth fighting for.
Thanks for being part of our team.
-Kelly
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