Last month seven #WA State Representatives sponsored House Bill #HB1038 to ban gender-affirming care for minors in the State. The bill has been moved to the Health and Wellness Committee. It's thin, only 1.5 pages long. Read it here: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1138.pdf
This bill endangers youth because it (1) seeks to ban existing hormone treatments proven safe and effective for decades, (2) blends the banning of common treatments with those that don't actually occur (gender surgery on youth) and (3) attempts to erase transgender Washingtonians completely by redefining 'sex' as permanently assigned at birth "without regard to an individual's psychological, chosen, or subjective experience of gender" You can't erase trans Washingtonians any more than one might redirected a hurricane with a Sharpie.
The seven sponsors, all Republicans, are listed below by District with links to their House web pages:
- District 2 Matt Marshall
- District 4 Suzanna Schmidt
- District 18 John Ley
- District 19 Jim Walsh
- District 19 Joel McEntire
- District 25 Cyndy Jacobsen
- District 39 Carolyn Eslick
You can send comments to each Sponsor above via the phone number, email form, or mail address on their House web page. Be sure to contact your own elected Representatives, as I have here in District 43 (Seattle), to let them know your thoughts. You can find your District and reps on the WA House website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder.
I encourage readers to comment on the bill directly I've done so, and you are welcome to re-use my remarks below for this purpose:
HB 1038 would endanger youth, not protect them:
I oppose this bill for the following reasons:
01 | Section 1.1.a and 1.1.b describe long-standing and medically approved care that aids dysphoric youth, is delivered with consent, guided by strict protocols, and always with other forms of care not mentioned in your bill (social, mental, behavioral). This integrated approach is the standard and has proven beneficial outcomes.
02 | Section 1.1.c, 1.1.d, and 1.1.e describe medical procedures that are not performed on minors. It may be that someone has scared you into believing otherwise. It's a shame this easily debunked misinformation has found its way into your legislative work.
03 | Section 1.3.c seeks to erase all transgender Washingtonians regardless of age by redefining 'sex' as permanently assigned at birth "without regard to an individual's psychological, chosen, or subjective experience of gender". You can't erase trans Washingtonians any more than one might redirect a hurricane with a Sharpie.
I encourage you to speak directly with providers experienced in delivering gender-affirming care to minors (care of all kinds: medical, behavioral, etc). There are many in the State of Washington, and likely some in your District. If not, my Representatives here in District 43 could surely connect you to some. They can inform you how such care improves lives, and often save them. If you wish also to speak to a civilian advocate and family member of such a patient, you are welcome to contact me anytime.