Transition: Rights defender concerned about consequences of proposed LR law

In its opinion, published on Monday, the Defender of Rights is concerned about the consequences of the proposed law on the transit of minors in the Republic of Lithuania, as it could “violate the rights and interests” of children.

The Senate Republicans (LR) group introduced a bill on March 19 aimed at “oversight of medical practices carried out in the care of minors with gender issues.” This document, in particular, plans to ban puberty blockers, hormonal treatment and surgical operations under 18 years of age. Its consideration at a public meeting is scheduled for May 28.

By “denying access to care that could be beneficial to the well-being of minors,” the bill “ignores their rights under the International Convention on the Rights of the Child,” says rights advocate Claire Edon.

“Indeed, as the scientific literature shows, failure of minors to access this care carries the risk of serious harm to their health,” especially mental health, the independent authority stresses, citing the risk of suicide. Moreover, banning puberty blockers only for transgender minors creates a “discriminatory risk.”

Elected officials’ “problematic” language

Puberty blockers, like hormonal drugs, reminds the Advocate, are “regularly and long-term prescribed to non-transgender minors called cisgender” to treat early puberty or “when the onset of puberty is a source of psychological distress.” . »

According to the independent body, “current legislation matters” and “the scope of medical intervention for transgender minors should remain the best interests of the child, the provision of accurate information by the medical team of the minor whose voice should be heard, and his legal representatives and their informed consent.” .

“This presupposes that the law does not in any way impede the ability of health care providers to continue care necessary for the well-being of the minor,” she insists.

The “pathologizing wording” retained by the authors of the bill, “combined with the requirement of a national strategy to support child psychiatry and a ban on any other medical care,” in turn, “for less problematic ones,” says the Rights Defender. This raises “fear of a purely psychiatric approach to the health of transgender minors.”