INDIANAPOLIS — Hundreds of people chanted “protect queer youth” at the statehouse during the fourth annual LGBTQ Statehouse Day hosted by the ACLU of Indiana on Monday. Many in the community are keeping an eye on several bills they believe target the community — specifically transgender children.
“This year, we’ve seen over three times the amount of LGBTQ bills filed than ever before... we're very concerned,” said Katie Blair, the ACLU of Indiana director of advocacy and public policy.
The nonprofit, nonpartisan group focuses on protecting the liberties of various groups. Its bill tracker lists 14 bills that it currently opposes but is keeping an eye on several others.
This year, lawmakers filed several bills involving the LGBTQ community, including bills that would stop people from updating their birth certificate from deviating from their “biological sex.” The ACLU calls the bill, “unnecessarily limiting.” Another would make it a crime for someone to use a public restroom that does not correspond with their “biological gender.”
However, protestors were most concerned about bills proposing to limit access to gender-affirming medical and mental health care for minors. Several bills would prevent anyone younger than 18 from receiving surgery or access to puberty blockers.
State Rep. Michelle Davis, R-Whiteland, wrote HB 1220 and defended it in a statement sent to 13News.
"The goal of this bill is to protect vulnerable Hoosier children from making life-changing and irreversible decisions,” she stated. “We do not know the long-term effects of taking hormones or having a major surgery as an adolescent. We should continue to support children who may be struggling by ensuring they have access to compassionate mental health care."
Protestors believe those decisions should be left to parents and doctors.
They say another concerning bill would limit conversations about LGBTQ issues in schools. SB 413 would limit discussion in K-12 schools.
Rep. Davis wrote HB 1608 which only limits discussion for elementary children.
"The goal of this bill is to empower Hoosier parents by reinforcing that they're in the driver's seat when it comes to introducing sensitive topics to their children,” she said in a statement. “The bill would simply prohibit classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. This is commonsense legislation to support parents' fundamental rights, which shouldn't get dropped at the classroom door."
LGBTQ college student Hannah Ruckman worries these bills will have a negative impact on the mental health of queer youth.
“It was hard enough for me,” Ruckman said, “and that’s when things were starting to look up, you know, that’s when gay marriage became legal. That’s when it became more socially acceptable to be gay.”
The Indiana University Kokomo student worries now things are going in the opposite direction for their community. Ruckman now identifies as nonbinary and gender fluid and reports coming out at 10 years old.
As of Monday, the bills did not appear to have a committee hearing. However, the LGBTQ community is keeping watch remembering it was just last year when the legislature decided to ban transgender girls from playing in girls' sports. Even overriding a veto from the governor to move the legislation forward.
“This year, we’ve seen over three times the amount of LGBTQ bills filed than ever before,” Blair said.
Lawmakers also proposed bills to ban books concerning gay issues, as well as one to stop schools from using children’s wanted pronouns.
Ruckman worries that even if the bills don’t advance, they are creating an atmosphere in Indiana that puts queer youth in danger at home and at school.
“It’s a death wish for most people,” they said. “I don’t know why they want us to go away so bad.”
The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found 45% of its 34,000 respondents reported seriously considering suicide in the past year.