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I am outraged at the statement by the VCPA sponsor that allowing a doctor to prescribe testosterone, an FDA-approved medication, for my 15-year-old child is child abuse. Having grown up in an abusive household, I know the difference between acceptance and abuse. Prior to being prescribed testosterone, my child was depressed, lonely, and always questioning themselves. They never felt in their right place in the body and they contemplated self-harm. Since beginning testosterone injections, my child is happy, talkative, and more confident in their interactions with family, friends, and classmates. They no longer contemplate self-harm and are not depressed. The difference has been like day and night, from sadness to joy. This is love, not abuse. As a parent, I am supposed to provide for my child, to help keep him safe and allow him to be his best self. Parents will not sit idly by and let the state substitute its judgment for that of the child, parent, and medical professionals provi...

My name is Robert and I am a parent of a transgender daughter. My daughter, assigned male at birth, grew up in a loving home comprised of mom, dad, and two older sisters. Our daughter's journey has been tumultuous to say the least. Her physiology (male anatomy) did not match her psychology (female identity). This was a fact of which she was aware at a very young age. She would be brought to the threshold of tears nearly daily when at school she was placed in a line with the boys when her mind was screaming that she should be lining up with the other girls. It was a personal pain that she harbored as for many years she was unable to find the language that would enable her to share it with us. This dissonance resulted in year after year of persistent bullying at the hands of her school peers. This harassment and mental anguish our daughter shouldered bravely day after day at school, but it haunted her once home. It was a personal pain that she harbored as for many years she was...

I am a mother to three children, two girls ages 7 and 9, and one transgender boy, age 11. His name is Cody and he was born a girl. I am writing this because the practical effect of the VCPA for us is that the current care being administered to my child by the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) would be classified as a felony thereunder, which is nonsense. Please allow me to explain. Beginning at four years of age, Cody began displaying symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), depression, and anxiety. We treated those symptoms with psychiatric care, specialized schools, and medication. I always felt like there was something else we were missing - something big. I struggled to find the root cause of the anxiety and depression and had no choice but to believe that it was a result of the ASD. This past summer, Cody began menstruating. Two months later, Cody got his hair cut to match my husband (his father's) hair, which is kept very short. He was the happiest I have eve...

My name is Jeremy. My wife and I have been married for 20 years and have 2 great children. One in middle school and the other in high school. They are both in advanced classes and get straight A's. Several years ago, my 13-year-old daughter (at the time) told me she thought she was a boy. She said she felt like that since she was born. Both my wife and I freaked out. We didn't know what just happened. We told her to take a month-long break and we would regroup and revisit the topic. A month later she told us that she had changed her mind, that she didn't know what she had been thinking. It was a tough middle school year for her, and we noticed she was spending more and more time in her room. Six months later we found her cutting herself. After months of counseling, she came to us and said, "Mom, Dad - I really am a boy. I always have been." She had been afraid to tell us the truth, thinking that we might kick her out of the house if she really was a boy. M...

In the following posts, family members speak about their trans kids and the need for gender-affirming medical care to ensure their children are safe and supported. These stories are written by people opposed to proposed legislation (VCPA) that would criminalize accepted and expected medical care for transgender youth and subject medical professionals to imprisonment. #nowayvcpa

I have coached young high school students for more than 30 years and have experienced the joy of watching these athletes grow into fine young adults, but not without struggles. The schools where I have coached have been in predominately low-income areas and many of the students struggle with a multitude of issues that make them more vulnerable to abuse. One of those issues is gender identity. I do not fully understand what these students are going through, but I can see the pain and anguish they experience trying to resolve this struggle and their feelings of being hopeless and alone. I am also a federal law enforcement officer of almost 30 years. Throughout my service, I dealt with innumerable cases of sex trafficking and pornography where children- especially teenagers — were vulnerable victims of predators. Frequently, these children were experiencing gender identity issues. They felt isolated, confused, and desperate, unable on their own to resolve their conflict in a positive...

It has been three months since my 15-year-old assigned male at birth child told us in a letter (two pages typed) that she was transgender. Admittedly, it took us by surprise to hear her say she wanted to live the rest of her life as a female. We did not see it coming and the memories of her obsession with construction, then superheroes, then Star Wars flashed in my mind. She had been a "happy little boy" growing up. She sat with us while we read the letter, our eyes both watering. I stood up and hugged her, told her I loved her no matter what and that I had a lot to learn and would need time to process. She was understanding. Since that day, I have read all I can, found a wonderful therapist for her, and joined supportive groups like PFLAG and groups I found online. I have learned a lot and have a lot to still learn. No child asks to experience gender dysphoria nor do they want to subject themselves to teasing and bullying. Our gender-affirming therapist initially recom...