SACRAMENTO – Earlier this week a pediatric endocrinologist warned state legislators about a dangerous bill under consideration to fund transgender drugs and surgeries for minors as well as adults. He warned that the emotionally troubled children lured into these “carousel” like treatments, would return to legally hold responsible those who built and ran the ride once they realize they were placed in a “circular hell.” Legislators in the Assembly Health Committee rejected his advice and overwhelmingly approved the $15 million expenditure, AB 2218, anyway and without any legislative debate.
Dr. Quentin Van Meter is a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist and an adjunct professor of pediatrics at both Emory University and Morehouse College with 44 years of experience. In his testimony before the committee, he explained how “one’s sex is concrete and immutable” and “can never be changed.” He pointed to studies showing children who are treated with cross-sex hormones for their gender confusion have “significant mental health issues,” that remain even after hormone therapy.
And to further illustrate his point, Van Meter used an analogy of a carousel to explain how treatments that affirm transgender feelings are luring vulnerable and emotionally troubled children into treatment that turns into a nightmare.
“Think of a carousel in a park, beckoning to a troubled child with promises of rides on ponies and dolphins with cotton candy offered at every turn,” Van Meter explained. “Ask the child if they want to get on, and they will say yes. Ask them after one ride if they want to get off and return to a painful place, and they will say no. Ask them if they are happy on the ride, and they will say yes. Follow them on this carousel ride for 10 years, and there will be a change in their answer as the luster has worn off and they are seeking real answers as to why they were troubled in the first place. Medical literature and the testimonies of trans-adults who have returned to a congruence of gender and sex show that this carousel is, in the end, a circular hell.”
Van Meter concluded this testimony with a warning. “Those who were led to believe that affirmation is the answer to their prayers will come back through legal means and hold accountable those who built the carousel, who ran the carousel and saw fit to polish the brass poles and serve cotton candy in order to keep people on board,” he said. (Read Dr. Van Meters AB 2218 opposition letter)
After Van Meter finished and others voiced their support and opposition, the committee chair opened the hearing up for questions. Instead of debating the evidence presented and discussing the supposed merits of the bill, legislators sat in silence. None of the Democrats wanted to defend the bill, but neither did the Republicans question the harm the bill could cause. After the author Assemblyman Miguel Santiago gave his concluding remarks, all 11 Democrats and one Independent (former Republican Chad Mayes) voted yes, one Republican (Heath Flora) voted no, while Republican Minority Leader Maria Waldron and Assemblyman Frank Bigelow didn’t vote at all.
The bill will now be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The hearing date has not been set.
Call to Action
Call members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee below and tell them to vote “NO” on AB 2218. (Learn more about AB 2218 here.)
| Committee Members | District | Office & Contact Information |
|---|---|---|
| Lorena Gonzalez (Chair) | Dem – 80 | Contact Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez Capitol Office, Room 2114P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0080; (916) 319-2080 |
| Frank Bigelow (Vice Chair) | Rep – 05 | Contact Assembly Member Frank Bigelow Capitol Office, Room 4158P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0005; (916) 319-2005 |
| Rebecca Bauer-Kahan | Dem – 16 | Contact Assembly Member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan Capitol Office, Room 2130P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0016; (916) 319-2016 |
| Richard Bloom | Dem – 50 | Contact Assembly Member Richard Bloom Capitol Office, Room 2003P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0050; (916) 319-2050 |
| Rob Bonta | Dem – 18 | Contact Assembly Member Rob Bonta Capitol Office, Room 2148P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0018; (916) 319-2018 |
| William P. Brough | Rep – 73 | Contact Assembly Member William P. Brough Capitol Office, Room 3141P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0073; (916) 319-2073 |
| Ian C. Calderon | Dem – 57 | Contact Assembly Member Ian C. Calderon Capitol Office, Room 319P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0057; (916) 319-2057 |
| Wendy Carrillo | Dem – 51 | Contact Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo Capitol Office, Room 4167P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0051; (916) 319-2051 |
| Ed Chau | Dem – 49 | Contact Assembly Member Ed Chau Capitol Office, Room 5016P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0049; (916) 319-2049 |
| Megan Dahle | Rep – 01 | Contact Assembly Member Megan Dahle Capitol Office, Room 4208P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0001; (916) 319-2001 |
| Tyler Diep | Rep – 72 | Contact Assembly Member Tyler Diep Capitol Office, Room 4153P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0072; (916) 319-2072 |
| Susan Talamantes Eggman | Dem – 13 | Contact Assembly Member Susan Talamantes EggmanCapitol Office, Room 4117P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0013; (916) 319-2013 |
| Vince Fong | Rep – 34 | Contact Assembly Member Vince Fong Capitol Office, Room 2002P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0034; (916) 319-2034 |
| Jesse Gabriel | Dem – 45 | Contact Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel Capitol Office, Room 4139P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0045; (916) 319-2045 |
| Eduardo Garcia | Dem – 56 | Contact Assembly Member Eduardo GarciaCapitol Office, Room 4140P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0056; (916) 319-2056 |
| Cottie Petrie-Norris | Dem – 74 | Contact Assembly Member Cottie Petrie-Norris Capitol Office, Room 4144P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0074; (916) 319-2074 |
| Bill Quirk | Dem – 20 | Contact Assembly Member Bill Quirk Capitol Office, Room 2163P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0020; (916) 319-2020 |
| Robert Rivas | Dem – 30 | Contact Assembly Member Robert Rivas Capitol Office, Room 5158P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0030; (916) 319-2030 |
