Title
To recognize March 31, 2024 as International Transgender Day of Visibility
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WHEREAS, the City celebrates diversity and promotes equitable policies that make Columbus a welcoming and inclusive community for all, including people of all gender identities and expressions; and,
WHEREAS, gender-affirming healthcare is evidence-based and can be medically necessary and lifesaving according to the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Pediatricians, the Endocrine Society, the American Psychiatric Association, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, among other institutions; and,
WHEREAS, studies have shown that access to gender-affirming healthcare improves the overall well-being of transgender people and that access to gender-affirming healthcare for youth is associated with better mental health outcomes and lower risks of suicide; and,
WHEREAS, over 94 percent of LGBTQ+ youth surveyed by the Trevor Project in late 2021 said recent politics have negatively impacted their mental health, and 93 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth surveyed by the Trevor Project in 2022 said they have worried about transgender people being denied access to gender-affirming healthcare due to state or local laws; and,
WHEREAS, nearly half of states have passed laws to restrict access to gender-affirming care, and according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, most transgender people already struggle to access the care they need by virtue of poverty, discrimination, and a shortage of providers; and,
WHEREAS, people of all gender identities and expressions living in or visiting Columbus have the support of each member of City Council, who believe access to all medically necessary healthcare that promotes an individual’s physical well-being and mental health should be preserved; and,
WHEREAS, Sunday, March 31 is International Transgender Day of Visibility; now, the...
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