FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECATUR, GA (January 29, 2024) – QueerMed, a local gender-affirming care clinic in downtown Decatur, received a recent request from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to release patient records for transgender youth. Paxton specifically sought private information about Texas residents who received telehealth care from the Georgia clinic before Texas instituted a ban on medical care for trans youth.
“The actions of the Texas Attorney General puts politics between pediatricians and parents in an egregious act of government interference which violates the most fundamental rights of parents and children,” said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality.
“This request from the Texas Attorney General is a clear attempt to intimidate providers of gender-affirming care and parents and families seeking that care outside of Texas and other states with bans. Let us be clear: QueerMed will never, ever turn over HIPAA-protected patient information,” said Dr. Izzy Lowell, QueerMed founder. “We are not breaking any laws and we will continue to legally provide care in states that have not made the callous decision to put politics ahead of patient health. I am deeply saddened by the pain and suffering this is causing all transgender and nonbinary patients and families across the South.”
These political attacks seek to criminalize healthcare workers for providing care. This scrutiny jeopardizes their ability to do their jobs and has serious repercussions for their safety.
Last week, the Decatur Fire Department confirmed that a fire at QueerMed in late October was arson. While no one was injured in the fire, this makes clear dramatic escalation in the ongoing fight for the rights of trans youth and the broader LGBTQ community.
“We are troubled but not surprised to learn that the fire at QueerMed clinic last fall was determined to be arson,” said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality. “As we begin another legislative session where a number of bills targeting transgender young people have already been introduced, we are concerned that political rhetoric and misinformation may lead to an increase in violence and harassment against not only trans youth themselves, but also against the medical providers who care for them.”
“We continue to admire the resilience of QueerMed and the other medical providers who are committed to making life better for transgender individuals of all ages. Georgia Equality remains committed to fight any efforts that seek to take away the rights of transgender Georgians.”
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ABOUT
Founded in 1995, Georgia Equality is the state’s largest advocacy organization working to advance fairness, safety, and opportunity for Georgia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and allied communities.