PinkNews: Lecturer Jessica Kant Says Alabama’s Trans Healthcare Ban Is a Human Rights Crisis
A recent Alabama law making it a felony for medical providers to provide gender-affirming care has resulted in a devastating ripple effect for families throughout the state. The law is one of many legislations that have been proposed across the United States. Families with trans youth must now decide whether they can afford to move to another state or risk their child being forced to detransition. Jess Kant, a BUSSW lecturer who specializes in family therapy, spoke to PinkNews about the health inequities that will fall on financially disadvantaged families.
Excerpt from “Alabama Teen Facing ‘Forced Detransition’ under Healthcare Ban Makes Urgent Plea to Lawmakers” by Josh Milton, originally published on PinkNews:
‘These bills are a human rights crisis,’ said Jess Kant, a family therapist and part-time lecturer at Boston University School of Social Work. ‘Families are forced to choose between stopping life-saving medical care, seeking that care illicitly, or in many cases forced to flee their homes.
‘The financial burden is enormous and falls disproportionately on economically disadvantaged families who otherwise have no options,’ she said. ‘Because of the financial burden, many families are having to split up, with one caregiver having to travel to a more trans-friendly state with their trans child, while the other stays behind with the other children. These are policies of forced separation.’”