During a hearing for an Arkansas bill which would make it easier for individuals to sue doctors who performed sex change surgeries on them as minors, a Republican state senator pushed the envelope, asking a transgender witness about their genitalia.
The bill was introduced to the Arkansas state legislature in February and stipulates that “a healthcare professional who performs a gender transition procedure on a minor is liable to the minor if the minor is injured.” The bill has since been approved by a state Senate panel.
During the hearing, state Senator Matt McKee asked transgender witness Dr. Gwendolyn Herzig, “You said that you are a trans woman.”
“A trans female, yes sir,” Herzig replied.
“Do you have a penis?” asked McKee, prompting an eruption from the crowd as Herzig appeared surprised.
After a moment, Herzig replied, “That’s horrible!”
“You’re the one that brought that into the discussion,” McKee said.
“I never said anything about genitalia,” Herzig said, continuing, “I’m not going to answer that question. That’s highly inappropriate.”
“I’m a healthcare professional, a doctor, please treat me as such,” Herzig added later after being told that her answer to the question would suffice.
Herzig is a pharmacist practicing medicine in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The bill in question would include physical, psychological, emotional or physiological damage in its definition of injury. Any minor who received such treatment from a doctor may be eligible for compensatory and punitive damages, according to the proposal.
This is one of many similar bills that Republican lawmakers across the country have introduced as detransitioners speak out against the sex-change surgeries performed on them as minors.
Researchers have criticized the medical establishment for downplaying the risks associated with sex-change procedures, including puberty blockers and hormone treatments on minors.
At a federal level, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced a bill to the House called the Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act, which would allow minors and their parents or guardians to more easily sue doctors who performed sex changes for damages up to 30 years after the operations.
Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.
