people say who argued argued -- and at first i wasn't sure it became clear while there were plenty of people in washington to inherit mt. vernon and those people didn't go-round selling themselves as george washington's heirs in the next of the family. the four children basically made careers of being george washington's family.

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the senate judiciary committee will come toatat order. this week in cities including chicago across the globe will host their annual pride parade to celebrate lgbtq family friends and neighbors. in just a short time, relative short time, a few decades or nation has made remarkable progress in protecting the rights of the lgbtq americans. eight years ago this month for incense, eight years overfilled versus hodges which made marriage equality the lava lamp in and last year on a bipartisan basis congress codify these protections into law with a respect for marriage act could well pride month is an opportunity to celebrate these milestones today we remember the pride began with an active resistance. back in 1970 the first-ever pride parade was organized to mark the one-year anniversary of the stonewall uprising producer protestsni led by a transgender

and gender nonconforming americans who refuse to vote -- and debate together to change not just america but to change the world. today we draw that premise. dain defending the rights of the lgbtq americans. right now extremist politicians across america are targeting are lgbt he will youth. along with the medical professionals who care for them and the parents who love them. i want to turn to video a video that shares the story of one of those parents and his plea for the leaders in his home state of missouri to stop these attacks. >> i'm a husband and the father of two kids, two boys into girls including a wonderful and beautiful transgender daughter. today happens to be her birthday and i chosefu to be here. i remember the day everything changed for me.

i've gotten home from work and my daughter and her brother were in the front lawn. my daughter had on one of her old nurse daughters dresses.he it is time to dinner and i said come and pitch it out can she go across the street and i said no. she asked me if she went inside and put on boy clothes could she then go cross the street and play and it then that it hit me that my daughter was equating being good with being someone else. my child was miserable and i cannot overstate that. >> she's absolute miserable so on that day my wife and i stopped silencing our child spirit. i now have a competent smiling and a happy daughter and they came as a parent to share my story and i needed to understand understand that this language if it becomes law will have a real effect on real people. it will affect my daughter with

an p amici camp and the girls volleyball team or the dance squad. i ask you please don't take that away from my daughter or the countless others who are out there. let them havetls their childhod and let them be who they are. >> since the start of this year our nation has seen a wave of anti-bills. more than 525 have been introduced in 41 states. many of them specifically targeting are transgender youth. some billsr seek to ban gender affirming care what others are designed to dictate what sports kids can play or what they can use that all of them are part of the samese concerted effort exercising the power of government to target children. at the same time leaders on the far right are promoting anti-lgbtq rhetoric. in this year's conservative

political action conference and speaker was applauded when he declared in a quote transgenderism must be eradicated. we must reject this and rhetoric. at this point it's like to remind ourve colleagues our children are listening o and thy are in danger danger. infected a transgender youth arm of the most at risk of homelessness, depression and suicide deaths. when these young people who are are disturbing here politicians amplify rhetoric. rhetoric that denies their existence what -- is there. we have responsibility support apple of our children no matter how they identify. across america families are meeting with doctors and being told they must take critical decisions life-and-death decisions about surgery and medical, treatment for their children. these are personal and family moments which the parents willd never forget it i know, i've

been there. increasingly state, legislatures have decided the decisions will bebe subject to regulation and caramel punishment by the government. you saw the video of the missouri father or does he sound like a radical who is trying to experiment with this child's future? not to me. he sound like a father who resistedtu acknowledging the rel condition of his child so he realized he was wrong. i'm sure it wasn a painful labr process and journey that he is convinced to do the right thing for his transgendernc daughter. regulating an age when a young person can drive a car or have a tattoo is one thing.ta taking a decision that's fundamental to the fact that the life of an individual and it brings me to her minders and that his committee would also have responsibility engage inem civil discourse.

whileil spirited debate is a sin of healthy democracy we should not tolerate language that disparages anyone could like to close by saying it's natural to be confused by what we don't know but today most americans don't personally know anyone who identifies as trends so my hope is that this hearing will be a chance to share stories and reveal the truth and like the rest of the lgbtq community transgender people are our fellows, citizens and they have the same hopes and dreams at all to share but a lgbtq americans are asking for no more and no less than the full freedom to live who they are and with that i will hand it over to ranking member graham for his opening statement. and i think you mr. chairman and certainly i like what he said about the way we conduct ourselves. the most reported topic to talk about their two sides to every story they are differently two sides to this story. you characterize those peopleev who are concerned about minors

blocking drugs as far right. there a lot of people in this country who are very much worried about where we are headed as a nation particularly when it comes to young girls having to compete against biological males. title ix was passedic in 1972 to ensure that women would have a place in college athletics because most of them are non-resident sports. some generate revenue and most don't but i think most athletic directors would say it certainly makes the college experience betterre to support women athletics at that level as a theater program for our olympic teams. there has been aro lot of succes in the women's soccer program in much of that came from experience they had in college. this desire to level the playinn field for women in 1972 was bipartisan.

so now we have an assault i think on that concept. you mentioned eight years ago the obergefell decision created a -- to marriage in the legislation he talked about. we are talking about that here. we are talking about other things here. the father who testified before the missouri i guess the house or senate seemed very sincere and i don't question that at all. he is worried about something being taken away from his transgender daughter. that is a good concept to remember. the rights of one should be upheld and cherished but there limits to the rights that one group versus the other. one individual versus the other individual. you're right have to be balanced against other people's rights

and here's where i come down on this. you will never convince me that a biological male who swam three years on the men's team in transition to the senior year but that was there. and ms. gaines will talk about that. this is going on all over the country. young girls are working hard and their particular sport and on occasion they are having to compete againstn a biological male who has decided to transition and the evidence i think it's pretty common sense based that there is an advantage and olympic level you have to take a certain test for testosterone and other tests you have to take to compete in women's sports because there's a disadvantage and i believe this debate will go into the 2024 cycle and the question before

us, one of the questions is, is it okay for estate to ban transitioning of a minor and i think it is. i think the state has every interest in protecting minor children and regarding a medical procedure that is life altering given the evidence we have about how these procedures work. i find it curious that in europe they are beginning to pause, pump the brakes and slow down laws that would allow minors to be transitioned because the evidence is suggesting that it's probably not the best thing to do and they are taking a cautionary note which makes america's outlier. that is the title of this article behind me. today we are going to hear both

sides of the story. my democratic friends, if they could, would stop every state in the country from having laws regarding minors being transitioned. i think catcher position pretty much "on your side" and on our anside we believe the states hae every right to do that in my state they are going down that road. as we celebrate the 1970s to title ix act reaching 50 years plus, we live in a time where the whole concept of title ix is very much at risk. wee aren't talking about equaly of marriage here today. we are talking about what are the boundaries if any in american society when it comes to minor children and what is fair to all of us. thank you. thank you senator graham. we have eyewitnesses today.

i want. i went to introduce the majority would listen as senator graham to introduce his witnesses.th their first witness is harleigh walker. she's 16 years old from auburn and alabama. she's terrific. she's with her dad and she's she is an advocate for trans rights and gender affirming carender home state and nationwide. we also have dr. ximena lopez. after lopez is a pediatric endocrinologist at children's medical center at dallas, texas and associate professor of pediatrics and a pediatric interim -- endocrinologist. in their final witnesses kelly robinson the present of the human rights campaign. ranking member graham were to introduce mr. sharp and ms. gaines? >> matt sharp a senior council director of the center for legislative advocacy alliance in atlanta, georgia. he's a graduate of the center

for legislative advocacy and special council with the alliance. mr. sharp focus on state and local legislative matters providing legal analysis and testimony on proposed legislation how would impact civil rights and constitutional freedom. he advises governors and policy positions on the part of protecting the first amendment right and he has a j.d. from vanderbilt school of law. riley gaines as a spokesperson for independent women's voices in tennessee. ms. gaines defends single-sex spaces for women advocates for isequality and stands stand up r women's safety and opportunities. this gaines is a former 12 time all-american swimmer from the university of kentucky and has been a powerful voice speaking out against biological males a. in women's sports. ms. gaines has challenged the roles of various sports leagues and travels to raise awareness about the need to protect

women's safety and encourage other female athletes to join her cause. thank you mr. chair. >> thanks senator graham. here's what we'll do this morning. we will swear in the witnesses and allow each of them five minutes for an minutes for an opening state and member of the committee will be allowed to ask rounds of questions to the witnesses so witnesses please stand and raise your rightes ha. do you affirm the testimony you're about to give before this committee is the truth, theve whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you god? let the record reflect that all answered in the affirmative. tnwe start with harleigh walker. >> at morning my name is harleigh walker and 16 years old from alabama i want to thank you all for the opportunity to tell you more about myself on what site to be a transto person. i'm hoping to share what my journey has been like in the false false information at her command of congress and state legislatures including the alabama state legislature.

there has been so much and misinformation about what it means to be a trend person. most of what i'm hearing is outright falsehoods misrepresenting the steps taken by qualified medical professionals. i had a loving family present as they grew something was different for me. so my parents i believed i was transgender. nobody pushed me to become transgender nobody forced or -- because it's not a choice but a new business who i was. after i came out my parents are doing the best they could to support me and take me to our local pediatrician. he sat down with us and referred us to medical professionals in anour state. he never once pushed an agenda onto me. said he listened to me his patient and advised all of us on how to get the best health care for my situation. the team of specialist he referred to his incredible. they focused on understanding my

specific case getting to know my parents and figure out how to best care for me as a patient. they advised us at no point do they talk about surgery on a minor and it wasn't even something you discuss but they never pushed any agenda and set one of the things that stuck out to me my parents was if i ever decide to stop or change my mind that it was okay and they would support me no matter what. this is the opposite of what i hear on the news and the legislature. it makes me wonder why legislators think they can tell my parents and doctors that i can get the care that i need to be happy and health. i want you to look att me me hee iny. hear my words. i'm a very happy 16-year-old girl. my wonderful friends accept me for who i fully am and i'm on the debate team and other curricular activities. i left a travel enjoy concerts and music and listening to my record collection in my room. i get all a's in school so i'm looking forward to college. i'm not miserable inra my life. i'm not depressed. i'm just trying to be a teenager in america.

the same as any other team but i keep having to jump over hoops so others don't have to. i keep having to spend spring break lobbying for my rights to exist. i'm cared for this committee can set up on my summer vacation to ensure that my right to exist is not taken away. in alabama not one lawmaker was willing to sit down with me my parents and learn what it's like to ben d transgender studies lawmakers push rhetoric and laws that weren't true and not logical. saying things like transgender people are being read by their parents which is nonsense and in support of these lost my governor has said things about me and does hereby me and those hear my stay. i i would love for you to imagine a few statements read about your kids and how would you feel? what would you do to protect your kids from the statements? if you or me would you want to stay in a state where the people who are elected to represent you and make sure that you have a safe place to live in us to talk about your family this way? i live a few miles from the best college in my state but i can't

consider going there because of the continued attacks against me and my committee but i do a lot of thinking about college. alabama is one of the first to trans health care and because they don't have the equality act to help detectives from this commission i hady to start looking at colleges far away from where i was born andem raised. myro parents say breaks their heart that they can't stand the thought of their s kid being so far away that they can help me if i needed them. this will make me have to wear i live andno work their way to understand discrimination makes me unsafe for this journey isn't easy. as i began my transition there is an incredible amount of bullying in my middleir school. so much so that my parents decided i needed to go to on line school not because i want to but the bullying got so bad it was getting close to violence in the school is doing nothing about it. i eventually got to go back the kid shouldn't feel helpless at

school against being discriminated against because they are different. leaders in their state and country have the ability to help however so manyit of decided to promote that same bullying. despite this and despite being called a or or other things i love my life i love my family they love my friends and i'm happy. i'm asking for you to help us stop people from using it the transgender community is a political punditry please stop attacking us because her human rights hanging in the balance. help us communicate how they impact people's lives in her pursuit of happiness. we are just like your kids and just like in neighboring you. we deserve the ability to be happy. thank you. >> exactly five minutes. thank you harleigh walker. mr. sharp. >> it may -- the morning chairman to run make mammogram and members of the committee. american kids are beautifully diverse and tolerant country picked tolerant country capable from various walks of life at

different beliefs and values peacefully live and work together and care for one another. because we recognize the inherent dignity and work in doubt upon of us by our creator. the hopes that an anchorage alaska embodies these ideals by serving ever a no matter how the datatype are the center provides women and men with meals clothing and job skill training and at night it operates a women's shelter to provide a safefe place for women in abusie situations. one night a man who who identified his woman try to gain access to a women's shelter. he was injured but the hope center staff icehouse of a paper to take them into a local to a local hospital to get the care heid needed. rather than applauding city officials accused the hope center of violating the city's center tender identity or intended method men be allowed to sleep and women's shelter. this is one example of how laws and policies that promote gender identity ideologyt violate women's rights and endanger

children in the road are constitutionally protected freedom to speak and act according to ourd conscience. many the federal med governments rules and positions after this ideology and pushing title and other laws that are the true to what it means to be -- these policies demand schools indoctrinate students in gender ideology and hide students mental health struggles from their parents. figure the physiological difference between men and women allowing males to compete when sports. it deprives them of a chance to compete and earns go -- college scholarships. women's facilities locker room storms in shelters like the hope center be opened to meant violating women's privacy and safety issues. these policies are being used against students like liam morrison the seventh-grader massachusetts. liam was punished when he wore a shirt simply saying there only two genders to share the truth

about what it means to be male and female. and praise him for school mandated the price is the one gender ideology and sensor and eight -- such discrimination ish to our passion for your state and local government has missed his public accommodation laws to coerce people who serve everyone regardless of who they are to keep messages with which they disagree it on investigation fines and even jail time. colorado officials are using a state not to censor lori smith the owner of a design company and require her to create designs that violate herre since belief. lori who decision from the u.s. supreme court is hoping the court will hold a freedom of all americans to speak what they believe without their government punishment. perhaps most troubling campaign isis the push to get dangerous n a reversible gender transitions

to. it puts kids on a one-way street towards medical statement. to turn children into lifelong patients at clinics and deprive them of the chance of becoming natural parenthood are not the all with no proven -- compared with safer meta health director after singaporee outcomes in continuing with those medically transitions to a european country to pioneer these decisions reversed course to privatize counseling and psychotherapy over drugs and sterilizing surgeries. despite the totality of the best evidence europe's example of government officials are ignoring the science and pressuring states medical providers and even parents to support the harmful medicalization of children. a government mandated of social identity had devastating consequences for children women charitable organizations in alll

americans. they are unnecessary and just a day with the two tolerant is the hallmark of our great nation. thank you. spanish thank you very much mr. sharp. ms. lopez. that morning. dear senator thank you for the opportunity to speak at this committee present here today representing myself and not my place of work hospital or institution. i'm a pediatrician trained in -- i've been providing gender affirming care for more than 10 years in texas. i have also published scientific research that shows gender affirming care improves the psychological well-being of transgender youth. i'm here today to be the voice of my patient and apparent and because in texas and other states where gender affirming care bills are being passed the lifefehe and future transgender youth are at risk.

the parents of my patients are debating whether tore flee their state amid high financial cost. the effects of misinformation that led to this have a chilling effect beyond health care access. many patients and parents are suffering from discrimination as is co-ed church and social gatherings everywhere. many families are unable to leave the state and pulling their children out of school and isolated them living in hiding. the general public should know igthis information is demonized health care for transgender adolescence which is based on more than two decades of research andnd m clinical practe and accepted as established medical care by every leading medical organizations country including the american academy of pediatrics the american medical association and many others. there is no professional medical association involved in the care

of transgender youth. gender affirming care does not involve surgery on minors and no medical input -- interventions are provided. gender affirming care consists of puberty suppression after the onset of puberty which then may be followed by hormone therapy in later adolescence. in accordance with endocrine society the american academy of pediatrics and the association for transgender health these treatments can be medically necessary lifesaving. the care isas based on a a carel and to devise assessment with significant gender -- which predictably country can cause serious harmpr including anxiety depression and other negative physical and mental health impacts. in contrast research has shown when these youth receive the medical care they need they can thrive.

this care is not pushed by doctors or parents as a highly highly -- position that requires mental health providers that includes assessing the stability of the tender identity of her time in the maturity of the adolescent to agree with treatment. my patients are supported by their parents and receive timely gender affirming care o have no mental health issues and they thrive. i also want to speak up on the half of science and medicine and my colleagues. gender health providers and are being attacked by extremists. politicians are deciding how meant what medical care should look like with disregard of patient parent science experts in legitimate medical societies pretending this care hurts the

bensimon to this medical field and its research. this is the dangerous precedent for our society as a whole and harms us all. transgender affirming care interferes with a ethical principals of medicine which includes patient autonomy and do no harm and to provide the best treatment available. petitions are being -- patients are being left to decide whether they should violate their medical ethics or break the law. i ask that the medical decisions of whether to receive gender affirming care is left to parents, patients and their health providers. tythank you for the opportunityo speak and be heard today. thank you dr. lopez. ms. gaines. perry that morning senators. there is a graduate from university kentucky wears a member of the uk women's dive team. i probably finish my career is a 12 time all-american the

five-time champion an fcc recordholder making me one of allfastest americans of time a two-time olympic trial aqualifier and sec community service later that year at all about to say say to lifelong journey competing at that levela is impossible to put in words the amount off sacrifice and dedication that it takes. a march 17 to 2022 my teammates and i were forced to compete against biological males. we competed as a member at the university of pennsylvania men's team for years. we watched as thomas landed a national title in the finer freestyle giving of the most impressive and accomplished -- appears that thomas had been four to 52nd best in the men's division. the next day i raced him in the

freestyle which ended up ines a tie and we went down to the 100th of a second. having only one trophy tentatively handed it to thompson told me i had to go home empty-handed and when i asked why this was a question they were not prepared to be asked and i appreciate their honesty because they said thomas had to have it for the pictures. i felt betrayed and i felt belittled and reduced to a photo op. my feelings didn't matter but what matter to the ncaa were the feelings of the biological male. 19 then to congress -- including college athletics. by allowing thomas to displace the amount at which an opponent put in the ncaa intentionally and explicitly discriminated on the basisn of. although the ncaa claims it acts in the name of inclusion the policies -- that is not all.

in addition to being forced to give up our words and our opportunities the ncaa force me and my female -- tiexiera locker room as thomas is six feet four-inch 24 male exposé male pic let me be clear about this. we were not forewarned would be sharing a locker room. no one asked asked for consent and we did not give our consent. this locker locker room is nothing of modesty but you are addressing are fully expose and we were forced to take off her swimsuit in front of the man who's doing the same thing. i truly hope you can see this as a violation to arrest a presence in some of us have felt uncomfortable embarrassed and traumatized by this experience. i know that i don't speak for every single person that i know i speakai for many because i saw

the tears from the 17 place finishers who missed out by 11 place in a contest of extreme discomfort in locker room when an 18 to 22 real growth in the turnaround and there mails eyes watching the same room and i can attest to the whispers in the grumblesru of anger and frustration from these girls who just like myself have worked their entire lives to get to this meet and i can attest to the countryt around to female athletes who oppose the inclusion of thomas and the women's division weree threatend and intimidated in a mostly moved into silence and submission. unfortunately our experiences are you not unique. another female athletes have been denied opportunities traumatized or hurt by policies that claim to promote inclusion is growing at an alarming rate. i hear these female athletes and their parents to hear from is people who are seriously injure injured. plump with permanent injuries that will play curviness are like she was forced to compete

against the physically stronger man. this is unacceptable and the integrity of women's sports is lost as unfair and is going unfair and discovered trying to separate a woman's right to opportunity is being encroached on. locker room stormers shelter rooms prisons some have tried to speak up for once -- is being ticketed and this is not true. i'veve heard from people in this community that agree female should not be asked to step aside and -- i matter how they identify. defending women's rights is not anti-anyone to believe in biology is not and following the science that are real important differences between the two sexes is not or i will end with a "that briefly from tennis legend martina nava to love it. there will always be significant -- claim to the contrary are denial of science and i think you guys are

listening and i truly hope you heard my story. then i story. thank you ms. gaines. ms. robinson. committee chairman durbin ranking member graham members of the committee by name isism, key robinson. in practice are those present at the human rights campaign. our nation's largest civil rights organization working to achieve full equality for bisexual transgender and people across the country to thank you for inviting me to this important hearing. on the half but that's a million members have come here today with a single message to lgbtq+ people in the united states are living in a state of emergency. this is not an exaggeration and this is not a dramatization. more n than 525 anti-lgbtq+ bils have been introduced this year to stay. more than 220 of those bills target the transgender community many targeting children, transgender children and more than 75 of those anti-lgbtq+

bills have now become law. this includes laws that ban books transgender curricular classroom and laws that prevent children from being able to safely use the bathroom at school and laws that criminalize doctors are providing lifesaving gender affirming health care for the purpose of these laws is to facilitate a rising political extremism by alienating and isolating lgbtq+ americans and the impact of these laws is trulyy alarming. there is no more violence against a lgbtq+ americans never before the mass shootings in our state murders of transgender people and threats from the proud boys neo-nazis and others from the southern poverty law center center center designated as genocide is more anxiety and depression among a lgbtq+ children for data from our most recent survey shows these laws are making a people feel unsafe and you can prevent them from seeing the full future for themselves. there more conversations among

families about whether a statehe where they live is safe for their children. the mother of two transgender teens whose deciding whether to move from her hometown in texas toldss me simply we have acceptd that the state is not safe. it is like a war zone. in every county representative every county or colleagues represent you will findep parens and children teachers and nurses community leaders and small business owners whoo are afraid that the rice and legislative political extremism puts a target on their back. that fear has no place in the united states of america. that's why for the first time in hrc half-century history we have declared the state of emergencyg with also issued a guidebook to help lgbtq+ americans stay safe as they navigate the new anti-lgbtq+ laws and detail the impact of these laws for advocates policymakers and the media. i have submitted those into the

record. chairman durbin ranking member graham and members of the community we need t you to helps answer the state emergency with a sense of urgency. today senators merkley ballroom ballroom --- consistent and explicit across our nation. it's been nearly a decade since hiss bill was first introduced and in that time a lgbtq+ members of the military have served openly. equality has been codified in federal law had a lgbtq+ members of congress have been elected. more than eight in 10 americans support comprehensive nondiscrimination laws for a lgbtq+ people. time for congress to catch up with where country already as it passed the equality act. i want to conclude today by saying although this is a state of emergency i believe we still up have been a land of infinite possibilities, nation that prides itself on progress.

for four every 10 seekers in minnesota which recently passed a statewide and on so-called conversion therapy. for every florida there is a michigan which recently became 22nd of the tiki plus nondiscrimination protections line for every texas there's a pennsylvania is on the cusp of becoming the 21st day to do so. for every defense of marriage act thursday respect for marriage act and for every extremist there aren't many more americans who support a lgbtq+ rights. our nation is greater than all of those states and we must take action now to end this emergency and ensure a quality forhi every american without exception. thank you ms. robinson and we will start five-minute rounds i willll begin. lindsey graham is my friend and my colleague and we see thingsmy differently and we still get along. the nature of good work in congress. i would say to him it's

ininteresting to me you cannot t a nominee for supreme court of event state at that table and they all sit there without that person expecting a question as to whether or not they will be influenced by flaws and when you look at loss and other countries oror you stick with america. the answer they are waiting for is i would with americans now ae have references to europe as the standardbearer in terms of where america should go for its future. secondly if we are called an outlier and that's the headline guilty as charged. hamerica has always been an outlier. the written constitution for 20 bill of rights of people can depend on we are outliers. no one in europe can make the same claim so i would start with the premise that i love europe and i love the europeans but we are americans when it comes to decisions as basic as a right to omher individual citizens and freedoms i thinked we have a god

starting point with the constitution of the bill of rights. i want to ask you dr. lopez from referencestil made here to whetr or not your profession what you have done with your life for the last few years is an outlier itself and in fact you are not doing what is mainstream medicine in america. how do you respond m to that? that is not n true. the type of care that i provide is the mainstream care that's practiced and recommended by all the legitimate medical societies in the united states and across the world. as i said in mys opening statement we have a clinical experience of more than 20 years and a robust body of evidence that supports this treatment is lifesaving in treating

depression and anxiety.er there no other studies that support any other treatment. this is mainstream treatment. and the american medical association and the american academy of pediatrics as well? >> is there a professional medical organization within a state of america that opposes this form of care? >> no. >> that speaks for itself. we we are talking about science andel medicine versus politicaln the issue. i want to to say them old enough to remember the debate on the equall rights amendment 50 years ago. the fear is if we pass the equal rights amendment women will be serving in combat. women aren't serving in combat -- women are serving in combat and they want to serve in combat and we need them. restaurants with all gender i see them quite frequently in chicago and i'm sure you've seen them too. when i listen to this gained

there's a fundamental call for justice in your state and i understand it. have to be able to work that out as a nation known. the extet of harleigh walker in their future. there have to be a middle ground that's fair to both. as far as i'm concerned that's our job to deal with that moving forward. dr. lopez he said, to make sure it's on the record clearly accepted medical practice in this field does not provide for surgery for youth. is that correct? surgeryy is not recommended for minors. >> in terms of hormone therapy it is not administered until after puberty? >> that isis recommended in adolescence. >> if he went forward with any surgery at any point for medications that were targeted has it been your practice to involve the parents of the young

person involved? >> that is the center of care. all legal guardians or parents have to dispense with the treatment as part of the medical decision-making to involve the parents and discuss the risks and benefits as with any type of medical treatment and at the end ofd the day it is the parent consents to the treatment. >> ms. robinson you have noted the resurgence if you will of anti-lgbtq legislation across the country. a lot of it's focused on transgender issues but not exclusively. what else is coming up in the state legislature that concerns you? >> were concerned about bathroom bill's reemerging not moving toward explicit nondiscrimination protections for communities and soso much mourned for m me the violent rhetoric that surrounds every introduction of the bill. it's contribute to the fact that one in five of every hate crime

is motivated by anti-lgbtq plus bias. this is an urgent problem facing our community and creating fear atand isolation and even when bills are passed into law. >> senator graham? >> thank you mr. chairman. ms. robinson the state lost the reference regarding you think they are driven by hate,? what is causing this? behindow the people theseil bills are part of the well-funded opposition groups and organizations like the alliance toosn defend freedom tt are part of that. >> do you think it's driven by hate? well-fundediven by group of opposition. there i asked to their motivation. >> i think it's driven byy powe. theree is a move right now to control people and our bodies for the sake of power. >> just for power, right-click these are people that are doing this? >> i think thisha is about power

they too think as bills are moving forward they are creating a culture of hate and i have to say again every time we see the introduction of these bills they are accompanied with violent on line campaigns and rumors of. >> i want to tell you that violent rhetoric has no place in this debate or any other debate. ms. gaines, what is the average day like for a young lady trying to compete at the level you have competeded at in terms of training? >> i started training when i was four and i graduate college when i was 22. i gave 18 years of my life to my sport which includes training and swimming but also weightlifting and diet and sleep schedule not to mention the social sacrifices you have have to make the at the collegiate level we were swimming in the water every single day for six hours. three plus hours being before 8:00 a.m.. the practice from five to eight go to class come backou to practice swim from 1:30 to

4:30 and we ate dinner by the clock because we were starving e dinner do your homework i see her shoulder and get it up and do it again. we were averaging 10 miles every single day. >> dr. lopez do believe that leo thomas had an advantage in swimming because she was a biological male who transitioned sometime late in college? >> i am not a sports medicine physician. i can only relate to the federal international association. >> what did they say? >> they do not recommend exclusive transgender and business. they believe it's fair for leo thomas who spend years coming for the men's team as a senior

year in college to compete in the women's division? they think that's okay? >> is a medical professional i don't haveve the scientific -- >> let me tell you as a person this is not okay. this is definitely not okay. you work all your life training as a swimmer competing against biological girls and you wind up with a senior a in college competing with somebody who for three years swam as a guy and you lose. ms. robinson to 80% of americans support biological males competing a women's athletics? >> i can say more than 70% of americans believe the rash of attacks o that >> my question to 80% of americans support biological males participating in female

sports? >> i can't verify that. >> i can say it's not even close. there's nothing wrong with you if you havee a problem with ms. gaines feeling cheated. there is not nothing wrong with you if you have a problem with ms. gaines feeling uncomfortable in a locker room. there's nothing wrong with you. we will sort this out as a nation but but this idea that something is wrong with her because she feels cheated is. you have every right to feel that way and i would imagine a lot of young ladies do feel uncomfortable being in a locker room inib the situation describ. mr. sharp what is the purpose of your organization and what is your message to america? >> senator want to protect the freedom of all americans and that includes our desire to

ensure that children and women their interest are protected and theyhi aren't harmed by the genr ideology being pushed in each each of us is free to live and work and speak without being coerced or punished by the government becauseho of our -- >> one final questionne ms. gais do you think the experience you had in the dressing room is something that young girls throughout the country share your views? >> i get messages every single day from girls all over the political spectrum who mentioned this issue being m politicized. this is not politics for me and this not politics for me and this is real life issue and i wanted on record i believe trans athletes should be banned from sports and that's the rhetoric they push on the opposition. anti-trans bills ban trans athletes. i just want everyone to compete where to compete words bear thread safe and i don't understand how that's overly controversial. every single girl released on my

team being the team captain i have these conversations with the portico for my team and we felt the same when i've had conversations and we all felt uncomfortable in that locker room. l thank you. >> senator coons. >> thank you to thank you to all of her witnesses for sharing your stories in your experiences. let me talk initially to ms. walker if i could. thank you. as a parent of three children myself i can only imagine how proud your parents must be a pure poison your advocacy. i thank you for sharing with us that you are straight a student and participating in school and happy. it is aer very difficult thing o insert yourself into these debates in her home stateer of alabama and nationally great i can feel your frustration explaining as you search for college you feel you can no longer safely do so in your home state. .. a place where young people

can search out there called strains without having to worry about whether they're in the state that affirms them or not. you mentioned something about this is not an ideology that been pushed on you. could you just help us for a moment understand, and you described closely with your parents, then with your physician to make a decision about your future that indecision about your future that reflects who you are and how you were created. can you just help us understand that a little further ms. walker? >> fungicide when ever i was about 11 years old, i was doing research on the end of the b to q community i came across the term transgender. growing up as a kid i always knew i was different. i came to my parents saying i think i am transgender. and at first we did not know

what that meant. we were not super educated on the issue because at that time it was not a big public issue. whenever we went to our doctors, they were incredibly supportive. they never were tell me what i should do. thee first couple of visits were listening to me, listen to my story, who i was and what i thought was best for me and what they can do to help me. it was not you need to start these puberty blockers immediately. it was not you have to do all these things to identify as transgender because everybody's journey is different. they want to do what was best for me and listen to me too make that is what i wanted to do for. >> thank you for doctor lopez you mentionhings was the importance of close consultation with parents in making a decision about gender formingec care. could you briefly speak to the role parents find your practice in making p any decision about gender forming care forng their children.

>> thert decision to start gendr forming care is a highly complex issue. it's not easy for any parable parents from any backgrounds. most parents are not well informed when this happens to them. it takes a lot of time and effort to move different type of professionals from the health providers to find a session to discuss risks and benefits and alternatives which is what should be done for any type of medical treatment for parts what impact you see on the mental and physical health of your parents in a state where there is a ban imposed on that sort of care or on books or discussions in school does not have any impact whatsoever? >> i am very, very worried that is the reason i am here. i am here because i'm very worried for the mental health oa my patients. the ones i see in my clinic

which are supported by their parents and receiving gender forming care are thriving. it's taking away from them. i am sure that mental health would worsen. that not only becauseen the truh that helps him is taken away but there is a feeling of stigma and discrimination that has been created around them. they are debating whether to leave or hide and it's devastating. >> in your pockets and text money you criticize schools for trying to replace parents as the ultimate determinants of what is best for their children when it comes to things like teaching about lgbtq rights and issues. if i understand you correctly from your spoken testimony you akalso think parents should be barred from making medical care decisions about their own children in the case of gender forming care as described by dr. lopez. which one iss it?

our parents in charge of the best interest of the children or not? >> think you would do so for the right appearance. our laws long recognized there are limits to those. parents cannot consent to things that can be damaging ands harmful. that european countries are looking at the science for this is not following theth science. they find there's not evidence ofvi mental medical conditions versus the mental health counseling and that's going to prioritize so parents can choose among the psychotherapy counseling and other options are truly help children. >> thank you dr. lopez if i could in conclusion, you just know as the american medical association academy of pediatrics support gender forming care is an option for children and their parents to choose in p consultation with parents is that correct? what is that correct? what state is correct. how do you reconcile with the eu with our national medical associations that are relevant care?s

>> are still no country in europe has been banned gender forming care. they have taken steps to make surere there's a cautious approh when deciding eligibility for gender forming care. after the steps they have taken a very similar to what is the care practices. which doesn't recommend a careful comprehensive assessment before deciding this is a next year for the patients there is no single research study that shows s psychological therapy as mentioned by doctor sharp is enough to resolve gender dysphoria and mental health issues that transgender peoplee can have a great. >> thank you, thank you all for your testimony today. >> think eccentric contender how the big quick it's the witnesses are being here. i want to start with you but

thank you for your courage andnd being here today. thank you for your courage and advocacy for women. you have been subjected to an unbelievable amount of abuse. talk about intimidation, threats of violence, you have suffered it. i want to put up a picture that everyone can see. this is the walk of your modi at san francisco state university just a couple ofty months ago wn a mob assembled were you are supposed to speak for i believe over three hours scream, threaten to come a barricaded you in a room and we have a basically correct? >> yes i was held for ransom for three and halfas hours. by hundreds of these protesters as you see on the board. they demanded i had to pay them money if i wanted to make it home to see my family safe again. the law enforcement san francisco, i respect and lawla enforcement is what is brake not me and i respect all law enforcement. law enforcement has met within

san francisco in my opinion failed miserably effectively doing theiris job. they had mentioned it was not ideal for them to be seen as anything other than an ally to this community. that was made very obvious in the treatment and effectiveness ofn. removing savers and situatn progress where you threatened and barricaded into a room and held for ransom for hours onn end? what was it you are saying so terrible? what is invited to speak on my experience of my senior year end competing against males. nothing opinionated about what i shared. it was the exact lived experience of what me and my teammates and fellow competitors dealt with. i spoke, after my speech ice there's a lot of protesters in the room i'm totally about people protesting it is the right toth protest. what i'm not fine with is when it doesn't turn violence though it did break protesters after words rushed into the room. they turned off the lights for they rushed to the front. myself and others were assaulted

that ultimately when i was held hostage for three and half hours. >> this is unbelievable, unbelievable over and thank you for your courage in the midst of that. let's talk about the message you were sharing. he started to talk about in your opening statement. tell us about your experience because nobody can question your experience i don't think anybody sitting at the table certainly nobody att this podium has had the experience you have had. you are talking about just the incredible surprise shall iis sy to put it gently finding a biological man a 6-foot four biological man in your locker room and having to accept that without being asked about it. without being told aboutut even. was that like like for you? tell us about that. once again we only became aware were undressing next on demand we had to see a man undressing mobile simultaneous undressing so i meet left the locker room. put it on the official in the pool decks and said what are the guidelines to allow manager inlocker room? i know guidance for theo

competition but what about the locker room? he so nonchalantly said back oh great got around this by making locker rooms unisex. i'm thinking to myself first and foremost admitted this was a mail acknowledging had to make your locker rooms to make unisex db.share the same spirit unisex? any man could have walked into her locker room question rickety coach, any official, any man wha wanted to would have had boat rings and we were not forewarned about it? but it's a traumatizing spark first experience of the locker wass traumatizing. i think for me it was so easy for them to dismiss our rights to privacy read senator durbin in your opening statement you had mentioned this rhetoric. you had mentioned what message does it send to trans individuals? my messages what does this send

to women, two young girls were denied of these opportunities so easily their rights to privacy and safety threat out the window to protect a small population protect one group as long as they are happy? what about us? that is the overall general consensus of how wee all felt in the locker room. >> why do you think it is the ncaa so many people in power seem intent on erasing your opinion, your views the whole category women. i noticed recently, you just posted this to social media about a message harvard was sending around a thing to its swimmers telling them do not talk about leah thomas. do not share your opinions very few get contacted by a member of the media refer that to the university do not say anything for heaven sake. tell us about this. this is been your extremes over and over and over youxp were tod as woman shut up don't say anything. what is that like it? >> that is continually happening. we do speak up your immediately labeled some name bill quote everything under the sun. list trans phobic, homophobic, racist, whites of premises

domestic duracell for the volume hopes to deter you hopes to silence you. leah thomas teammates were forced every single week to go to mandatory lgbtq education means to learn about how just livings there presently the atomics are told they're not allowed to take a stance because their schools are already taken this stance for them. they were told you'll never get a job or you'll never get into grad school you will lose your friends but you lose your scholarship and playing time if you speak out. they told these girls that if you do speak out and any harm whatsoever come toward thomas' wet weather through social media, or that the physical mental emotional harm, then you are solely responsible you can be responsible for a potential death. you do not want that, do you? of course not. who would ever want to be responsible to potential death? that is the emotional blackmail that is plague in this country especially in universities. >> last question i'll ask this and give you a chance to respond and i'm done with this mr. chairman. they give you a chance to respond something leah thomas and risley publicly.

she said thiso publicly. this is a quote they are using the guise of feminism they, meaning you, using the guides of evidence and to sort of push trans phobic bullies. many of advocating for women, women's rights is just a cover for trans phobia, doing respond to that? term.sm is not a fluid the original admitting what it means that feminist is to uphold respect, honor, embrace and celebrate women on her own ebphysical feelings. uniqueness. that term is not changed. what this really is is a man explaining what is to be a feminist which i think is pretty ironic something they'd seen before. quick thinking center holly. since reference was made to my earlier statement i looked at something for the record for this note issue evidence that transgender is an issue for you know transgender female athlete is ever won an olympic medal in

national sports with the olympic committee has led transgender athletes to compete since 2004. 2004. one non- binary athlete was assigned female at birth with a metal and female stopper in 2021. thank you very muchh mr. projec. i want to turn to you, ms. robinson. i'm talk about something i think is important given my background as a prosecutor that we do not forget. that is the attacks we have seen the unprecedented number of tax on lgbtq americans. we know lgbtq americans continue to face violent attacks. near as hateful rhetoric, dehumanizing them. that was one of the computing

factors for the fbi found crimes motivated by bias against lgbtq people represented 20% all reporting hate crimes. this is close to my heart because when i was a prosecutor i had never even then, i remember the whitete house. president clinton was president he introduced the hate crimes ii bill. i got to meet the family of matthew shepard they were there along the police who investigated the p case. think that was a moment for america that flipped how people thought about things and realize he was pursuing his own life and ended up as investigators described it looking like a scarecrow someone thought, pinned to a fence. could you talk about what trends you are seeing lgbtq hate crimes? i want to transfer that verse?>> what's the route is we are sitting here seven years since

he pulsed nightclub shooting with 49 lives are stolen. just over seven months since the shooting up club queue that stole seven lies in the community the uptick in violence is really sent already 15 ever hate crime forget the rail to know that is true these bad bills targeting the community are often accompanied by campaigns of misinformation lies that so fear and trans phobia. the fact we can identify the atomics introduction government's plays into the theater at the motivates hate crimes protected by would affect the pediatricians escorted to their cars by armed guards because of the bomb threats from drag queens being confronted by proud boys. this epidemic is real requires action both legislative and also cultural in stopping the ability

for people to spout lies betterd community. >> think you pretty mentioned minnesota in your opening remarks. i think o what we have seen over the last few decades we have seen progress in the fight for equality. the bipartisan group that worked on respect for marriage act led by senator baldwin we so appreciated her work and how she worked with people on both sides of the aisle to get that done. affect lt 10 lgbtq report workplace discrimination based on their identity. could you talk about the equality act why it is important and specifically of the still place in the u.s. were lgbtq person can be denied a home simply because of who they are is that correct? >> absolutely. right now that's only 23 states that have explicit nondiscrimination protections on the bus were lgbtq+ community.

what that means is i can go into a restaurant in texas and be denied service because i am married to woman. i mean some led by the committee and experience discrimination in housing, getting accessra federally funded houses and programs this is a crisis. we need to make clear there's not a popular cap protections based on your identity. every americans is on equal to civil rights and nondisturbance protection. the equality act will move forward that into law. parts of another's major company supporting the bill. there's a lot of support for. one other question along those lines are there still places in the u.s. lgbtq person can be denied alone because of who they are? x yes there are. >> very good. we do talk about some of the progress? you mentioned minnesota but some

of the progress made on a state-by-state basis that i think shows how in fact there are a whole lot of people out there support the work of hrc. and bills and state versions of bills like the equality act. my state as you mentioned has been a leader. we were a leader on antidiscrimination from the very beginning in 1993 when he began protecting lgbtq people against pworkplace discrimination. we were the first state in the nation discrimination based on gender identity. so could you talk about progress? what's absolute is been incredible progress for community. if i look back 20 or 25 years 60% of americans oppose same-sex marriage. an out nearly 80% support same-sex marriage and respect for marriage act is the law of the land. that change because we were able to serve openly in the military would that change because we were able to tell the stories of

our lives and show it our love look like. that change because the american know someone who is lesbian, gay or bi. we need to make sure we are not letting people's lack of visibility feed into fear. instead tell the stories about trans women. tell the stories about trends and show the stories like harleys thatt show at the end of the date these are simply americans who are trying to live. that is what we are fighting for. okay great thank at all the witnesses but i wish i could ask all questions but my colleagues are waiting. >> that are blank for improvements thank you, mr. chairman thank you to each of you for taking the time to be here today. we certainly appreciate that. and riley i want to come to you bridget riley is a tennessean. we are so incredibly proud of her work.

in the job that she is doing. one thing i noticed repeatedly over the last few years is this administration intent that they continue to push forward. erasing the word woman. their intent when it comes to ending title ix. and ending the ability for young girls. in tennessee i talk a lot about the lady a great basketball team with such great history. how important it has been too young girls. i talked to girls who have played on thatay team, they talk about the impact that being able to be a lady dol. that had on their life.

what that impact was to them personally. and professionally. they talk about the opportunities that were open to them because they were a competitor and i say all of the time there are hundreds of young girls that are out there, at their home beating that basketball against the backboard in the blacktop and trying to hone their craft. they can be a competitor. they can be an athlete. i was so disappointed this administration the department of education went so far to proposo a rule allowing biological males to compete in women's sports. you have a reference the impact

on young girls that this has and how it is kind of defeating. the only two when you are competing but when you are preparing you reference the amount of work that you do the 5:00 a.m. swimming. 5:00 p.m. dinner and you are double tracking to be ati competitor and also get an education. so i want you to talk a little bit about the impact keeping title ix and what title ix meant to you if you were that young girl training. hoping to get a college scholarship. hoping you would be ncaa college athlete. talk about that for. >> absolutes far bigger than achievement gets lost we only have a few minutes to share our testimony shared i did not get the trophy. let me reiterate it's not about the trophy. i did not care about holding tangible object of the five cell

production trophy. it's about the opportunity and that lifelong skills you got from playingng sports. playing sports, site for my faith i put a lot of semi faith that playing sports is given me the leadership to do this for the security to take the arrows pray to be held hostage. explain sports it is give me that confidence and no girl should lose out on l that. it's far bigger than athletic success are chances for opportunity. it's about the transferable skills. unearth commitment ceo cfo executives 94% of those females were female athletes. that's entirely true testament of what it means to be an athlete. on the skills that provide you. i want to mention the rewrite of title ix is an abomination. it is quite sex to gender identity i would meet men could

live in dorms with women and men would have full access to bathrooms, changing areas, locker rooms. men could join sororities which we are seeing happening is happening university of wyoming. men could take academic enough like scholarships away from isen in the new rewrite it sexual harassment if you miss gender trans identified individual sexual harassment if you're in a storm room you are a woman you feel comfortable sharing the storm room if you complain and ask to be moved you are guilty of sexual o harassme. you mentioned the transferablehe skills. i think that is so vital given the top three skills that you developed by learning to be a competitive athlete. >> especially being to your team captive universityy of kentucky is in the top three skills i learned were teamwork, communication leadership without a doubt. those are skills that translate your correct pressure with every intent on being in dental school. by what instills endodontics escort in the top percentile which is the dental admissions

itest that is what i thought my life direction was going. those three skills i mentioned teamwork, leadership and communication would have been crucial to becoming a dentist not really a semi- advocacy work there are just as crucial in this field as well the. >> absolute thank you, mr. chairman. next thank you center. center broker? thank you, mr. chairman both you and the ranking member for holding this committee. thanks to all five of the witnesses here it takes a lot to be here. especially two of our younger witnesses. i was terrified speaking in front when i was both of your agents. it is just extraordinary to me the truth and testimony you share folks here. ms. robinson restart there. i still love the this bizarro world have arguments with friends. not talk on political friends my talking the folks in community i think i am wrong i said most states in america a

gay american could post their pictures of their wedding online on the next day be fired from theirex job. usually most americans think this is already been accomplished somehow. that just by being gay you can be discriminated against at your workplace you can be discriminated against in public accommodations you can be discriminated against and getting access to financial means most americans take foro grantednt. you could be discriminated against serving on a jury. could youu speak to that for a moment? i never time a lot of issues here. at that to me seems outrageous but. >> absolutely. this is very real and why we need the equality act the equality act would do would make explicit nondiscrimination protections across race, gender, sex and sexual orientation. that's currently not something that exists. one of the reasons we did a state of emergency is to lift up this crisis to make it clear.

especially as americans are thinking about where they're going to go to school or taking new jobs across the country, we had to make it clear there is a dizzying patchwork of protection across this country. excerpts of that we have a guidebook know your rights resources where you can go to file complaints. awful tools to navigate. hooks if i could interrupt you because i had the privilege of serving with john lewis. i am happy with center merkley and center baldwin to leon's bill in the senate on the house side john lewis was leaning on this bill when youwh asked him here is a christian southern blackk elder man and he would sy these issues are so similar to what he was dealing with. the same things people said why they developpl black people in e restaurant right where they did on black people to murder white people.

why they did not feel comfortable at their private businesso why do i have to hire black people? people's religious excuses cultural excuses this is my own belief that is wrong. the bible says it is wrong. it is amazing to me too black parents technical struggles of the time who did get denied jobs and motions, who did see violence and threats who told stories about white people and black people that were attacked for standing up for the rights of african-americans. i am wrong to draw the parallel weather's gender discrimination, discrimination of the bbq americans. black americans, muslim americans, it's a line that goes to the basic right to be in america have equal rights? absolute is fundamentally a civil rights issue. the equality act tester signage

logic and felt equal access that american dream. the other through line here is often times we have been able to find ourselves on the rights of the social just for example the same things they are saying about trans people today, they were saying about lesbian gay people 20 years ago. another >> of marriage act as a lublin the same horrific things or sing about trans today they're sayinghee about people h hiv and aids 30 years ago. i would significantly reduce stigma and on our way to ending the epidemic in this generation in ourhi lifetime. we can make change on this. start by opening our hearts and minds and acknowledging theng story of america so many of us have discrimination we come together withh pop and understod an attack on one of us as an attack on all this we have been able to change the course of history. fox i was very moved by your testimony. especially because i don't think most americans understand. i am here because i was a division i player fundamentally

50, 60 hour work weeks on my llaffleck skills the first year stepped out you might've had the six printer self i fell at this is how civilians live you just have so much time you're not getting up and doing practices. the experiences you had the picture my colleague senator hawley showed is just outrageous, deplorable and unacceptable y. are you talking to your truth. ms. walker, what stuns me about what we are seeing right now is a lot of americans don't understand how widespread the bullying and the threats and the violence are. ..

>> ms. walker, i just want to end with you because i don't think most americans understand what it's like to try to just live your truth for >> for the average american that is lbgtq or trans can you tell as you've listened to testimony aide how it feels to be a teenager living your life as you do. >> yeah. it definitely is a struggle day-to-day. growing up in a conservative state where there is a lot of misinformation spread about what trans people and what we do and how ---- what it is like for everybody else. it is definitely hard for me like in my system i was in middle school to the point where i had to drop out of middle school because there was so much hate every day in the hallways

being misgendered and named and it got to physical violence so i had to drop out of public school for that year and school wasn't doing anything about it. >> mr. chairman thank you for the latitude and again if this is about protecting our children the stories of ms. walker and other trans children needs to e heard aboutus what you're enduring. >> thank you mr. booker senator cruz. >> thank you mr. chairman. title ix was a land mark civil rights law. it helped create the incredible breath of women sports and girl sports that we see across the country. i believe in girl sports. i believes in women sports. i'mev the proud father of two daughters who are both athletes. i think participating in competitive sports is a wonderful thing for a young girl. i think it is a wonderful thing for a woman. and i think unfortunately today's democrat party has decided that women sports and

girl sports no longer matters. andrt they're willing to push radical legislation designed to destroy girl sports and women sports ms. gains i want to thank you for your courage. you're relatively young. but you have demonstrated incredible courage and because you have dared to speak up, you have been demonized you have been vilified. i saw when you were attacked by a leftist mob at san francisco state university. for daring to speak up -- you had an incredible record as a swimmer at the university of kentucky two time naa and two time fec champion and record holder two time olympic trial qualifier yet on march 27th, 2022, something changed. what happened on march -- marchan 17th, 2022?

>> that's when thomas and i raced in the 200 free style resulted in a tie. >> so you tied. awhat was the consequence of tieing? >> we went behind award podium typically you're handed trophy marched out named all american an they it official looks at thomas and myself he says great job but you guys tide and we have only one trophy therefore we're giving it to leah. and i questioned this i say why. and at first, i shortened it in the testimony but really he stumbled and at first he's -- well we're just doing this in chronological order to which i further pressed i said okay well what are you being chronological about because we tied if we're doing this g comes before t so what are you being chronological about so this wasn't a script they have prepared for him and he -- actually appreciated his honesty he did say -- we have to give the trophy for

leah because leah has to have it for pictures they've made that clear leah has to have it for pictures you can pose with this trophy but you have to give yours back. you have to go home empty-handed endan of story. >> someone who has competed at elite level -- in your experience is there a difference between women and men? >> of course.di i think we learn this at a young age watching 12 and under playing. going through puberty causing irreversible advantage that no matter the training, no matter the diet, no matter any alterable change will overcool that male advantage especially in sports like swimming where lung capacity matters so much. even something as silly as throw size men has 40% larger throat sounds like it is nothing. but when you're grasping for air that makes a huge difference in

athletic success not to mention height you guys know the differences. >> ms. robinson do you agree there's difference between women and men? >> if the question is about trans women -- >> is there a difference between men and sphwhem >> ncaa has rules in place and for the last decade and when the competition. >> i'll try again do you believe there's a difference between women and men a yes no question. >> do you believe there's a difference? >> no i'm asking a question, do you believe there's a difference between men and women most can answer this simply i'm curious if you're'm willing to do so. >> absolutely i'm putting into the context of that conversation that we're having, i think that there are definitions related to sex but -- >>la trying to get a yes or no t trying to get a speech. >> is there a difference between women and men? >> i think is that there are definitions by biological sex. >> let me ask you this question then. why doti women sports exist?

if you can't define a difference between women and men why not tell little girls to swim with little boys and see who wins. >> i'm simply saying that -- >> gender -- >> why do you believe women sports -- >> senator, i'll tell you right now -- >> ms. robinson answer the question i'm asking you why do women sports exist? >> there's so many positive benefits to sports. >> why have a separate category. why to have women sports? >> i'm saying there's a difference w between sex and jengder that>> the ncaa has ruls in place which they have for the last decade heard that related to -- >> to an article from duke law -- called comparing athletic performances for best elite women toc boys and men. and it goes through examing in 2017 top records for women in the world. in various track and fields efnghtses so for example in the hundred meter top record for women in thehe world was --

10.71 that world forno the numbr one women in the world in 2017 was in the year 2017 broken -- by 124 boys under 18 in that same year the record for the l number one competing women in 100 yard a hundred meter dash broken by the total of 247 men. if the radical democrat agenda to destroy girl sports and women sports succeeds, little girls will not have a chance to compete sorl i ask unanimous consent that this article be entered into the record. >> without objection. senator padilla. >> thank you mr. chair. colleagues -- a recent trevor project poll found that 56% of lbgtq plus youth respondents could not access the mental health services that they need and this

committee and others have discussed the state of mental health in america that was in a crisislt before the pandemic. it's been exacerbated by the pandemic and most acutely within the lbgtq plus community and most acutely amongst -- couple these statistics with the country's lack of protections for the lbgtq plus community and it is clearnd to me that we need to do more to address mental health disparities. questions for doctor lopez, can discuss the factors that contradict to higher rates of mental health challenges and what would be the impact of tailoring andmp providing more mental health services and support m for lbgtq plus youth? >> it is very well known in the literature that discrimination is main determining there's has

been discussed anne youth has increased over last few years, and that is -- it is there's research to show that that is the driver of worsening mental health in lbgtq youth so mental health is needed in lbgtq youths for sure, but also we also need to work on the social aspects that drives that mental health issue which is discrimination. >> thank you, and seems that unfortunately as we should be providing more and stronger protections and support too many jurisdictions across the country run backwards in putting lbgtq plus youth in more vulnerable and dangerous circumstances.

you know, the next question i have is not a technical or deep policy question but talk to you for a minute harley. appreciate you being here today. and you're encouraged to speak up and to share a lot with the committee. and i'm glad you're sacrifice a little bit of what should be your summer vacation. to be here -- you've talked about love and supports you receive from your parents and doctors and friends. for any of your peers who may be watching today, thinking about maybe how to talkt to their parents how to talk to their friends maybe not in welcoming or comforting of a circumstance as you were blessed to have. what words of encouragement would you offer to them given your experience and given your

advocacy. >> you're never alone whenever i started my journey i had just entered middle school and i said i had tot move to online school because of bullying, and i was -- in a very dark place and i felt very alone i had no friends. i just had my parents who were luckily supportive. but you know, as a child, you feel so isolated. and so one of the things that helped me was -- getting involved in my community. my parents took me to our local p flag which is parents and friends of lesbian and gays it was a group of people who -- pushing round table of we're members of the community and allies who came together to share their experiences and have a good time.s and i was scared going that meeting. a but as soon as i got there, i felt so welcomed and it was the first time i did not feel alone and so that's why i am here to tell kids they are not ace alone

they accept phlegm so many other people accept them for who they are. t because it is not a choice. and regardless of what people say to you remember who you are and stick to that. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you mr. chair. >> thank you senator padilla senator lee. thank you ms. gaines i would like to start with you if i could and thanks again for sharing your story been tough and sad tonight what are of the discrimination treatment you received from the ncaa nothing short of shameful -- and you've handled it with grace and courage and i appreciate that example that you're setting for so many women and girls across america.et your story reminded me of a letter that i received from many a constituent a couple of years ago. a constituent who explained to me her own story with girls and

women athletics. she explained that she would never have been able to go to college never would have had a chance at a college education had she not done so under an athletic scholarship. and while she was in college, she became s the most dominant female trackt athlete in the state of utah. and she was a two-time all american sprinter who held the 100 meter record at byu for 22 years. she told me that even at the height of her collegiate year is one of the top female sprinters, in the country she would sometimes go to help her dad who coached high school track and she would go to those events with her dad she said even then the high school boys could beat her. because of biological

differences between people who were born male and people who were born female. so what would you say to all of the high school female athletes whoo worry about losing potentil scholarships that to say nothing of the worldrs in which we now face name image likeness endorsements things like that all of the things they might forego as a result of having to competee for scholarships and endorsements and note notorietyh people who were born male. >> my message would be that it's not transphobic to acknowledge how women deserve respect and safety and how we deserve fairness we deserve keeping our dignity it is not transphobic to say that and not to say that you can't change your sex. sex down to a chromosome level and that biology sports is the one area where -- that your sexual chromosomes matter. and again, i will echo harley

message as well as you're not alone. overwhelming majority of people regarding this issue of fair rns and women sports agree that having men and women sport is wrong and that it is unfair and that itor is a violation to agan our privacy and rights to safety as women. so that would be my message to be bold, be empowered and before anything stand official in the truth biological truth. >> are you transphobic riley? >> that is simply not true. >> dhowld anything against transgender persons? >> absolutely no if i agree leah thomas is following rules and i have no problem with leah thomas. i do believe there's a bit of selfishness and narcissism and entitlement surrounding this person in regards to the utter drartd that thomas displayed for us in the situations. but i have no animosity towards thomas my problem is the ncaa and biden administration pushing title b 29 and that's why it is political for me because legislation is the way you curb

these things. i can't believe it's come to this and i have no hate even protesters who mobbed me. the first thing that i did was prayed for them. i saw the soullessness vengeance? their eyes and they do it in love and welcoming and embracing diversity but they do not embrace myy diverse thought that's what it hate looks like nothing in my heart is hateful. >> whowb the ncaa did the ncaa embrace your diversity tell me what -- what attempts that the ncaa made to accommodate you and other female swimmers who felt uncomfortable sharingal an open locker room with biological male. >> nothing. >> they actually made us feel guilty for feeling as if we were uncomfortable. time and time again that's what we saw there was even a group of girls who -- undressed in janitors closet

they changed clothes because theyng felt more comfortable undressing in that environment than they did undressing next to someone with male -- >> because they were transphobic? >> no because they were violated. >> tell me how they were violated. >> i think -- two, three four years ago, if a man claims that identity of simply saying they areth a woman walks into a locker room a d.a. would follow into a locker room arrest him and charged with sexual assault and indecent exposure and list goes on but this was celebrated they was encouraged leah thomas is nominated for woman of the year which is award that i was also nominated for butor when i saw e fullme list of nominees see that was not exclusive to just women the award was immediately devalued and meaningless to me that's how they were honoring this rather than making us feel reassured in our feelings with this was wrong. > would you accommodate men time and time again -- refusing to accommodate women we call m that misogyny thank you

mr. chairman. >> thank you senator lee. next up is senator bloomingthal. >> thank you mr. chairman. ms. robinson your testimony is really powerful on the issue not only of anti-lbgtq plus legislation but also the threats of violence and hate crime. and you describe this entire emergency as a result of a coordinated, moral panic. the refer -- the reference to this emergency is unprecedented in 50 years to human rights campaign which itself is noteworthy i wound for you can describe the lengths here that make it coordinated,

that create the threat of violence, the feeling this community is to, quote, you constantly under threat. and what relation it is to gun violence in particular. and club q you refer to both of those if you could exfound on your testimony a little bit in that regard. >> absolutely. >> and that i think, you know, those real life examples of pulse and club q show that this violence political rhetoric plus easy access to firearms equals real life harm death to my community and while we're here talking about the issues that are truly it affecting children their hant their safety, the number one thing we should be talking about is gun violence that is number one killer of america youth but instead we're putting target on the backs of transkids and when it comes to where this is coming from, we don't have to guess the american principles project they're executive director said't that they are targeting transkids to,

quote,ro score political points. and every time we see these waves of anti-lbgtq plus move through states over 500 bill this is year we see it accompany by campaigns of hate and bias online in florida, when the don't say gay or trans bill was moving through you saw a 400.increase in language of groomers targeting lbgt x plus community let's be clear that this is instilling fear in people. this is perpetuating transphobia and homophobia that has real life impact on harm on lives of my community. >> would you say that a lot of the rhetoric, legislation, in the sense gives license to violence or encourages it without directly intending it but more or less creates an atmosphere where the violence is more likely to flourish? >> absolutely there's a speaker

at cpac that call for, quote, unquote eradication of transgender that violent language takes away humanity of people that look like me the people experience thehe world le me lbgtq plus people across the country. it make us seem less human when you couple that with trying to sensor education remove our stories from schools trying to criminalize or vilify loving parents for affirming their gender identity this is create agriculture of fear and harm this directly targeted some of our most vulnerable. thee lbgtq plus community and transyouth we should all see what's happening if the moral cries city that it is and know that because the attack is coming to transyouth today doesn't mean that target can't be placed on someone else's back next week this is a threat not only for the transcommunity but for us all. >> i think that's a really important point that we are all at risk of this violence if the

lbgtq plus community can be targeted in this way. anyone can be targeted -- anyone who is different is at risk. and this community right now is the most vulnerable but others can be targeted as well. senator and i have helped the lead hate crimes legislation which actually has taken as one of its principle causes to stop exactly this kind of violence and so i want to thank you for your leadership. and look forward to working with you in the future. thank you very much. thanks mr. chairman. l >> senator kennedy. >> thank you mr. chairman and thanks to all of our -- our witnesses here today. ms. robinson i want to

follow-up -- by trying to understand your answer to one of senator cruz's questions and if this is really a question not a suggestion. do i understand your position to be that there are two sexes but there can be more than two genders? >> i wouldn't even say two and you know we've got dr. lopez here as well but also a definition of inner sex i think that often these conversations were conflating sex and jengd earn i do want to affirm here that transwomen are women. that is their gender. >> okay. >> but i'm trying to understand do you make a distinction between sex and gender? >> yes, sir. >> okay. explain that just do you think there are more than two>> sexes? >> i believe that there's a definition for intersex as well that i want to acknowledge but sexow is -- >> three -- trying to understand --

thoroughly confused -- soro you're born i'm talking abt biology. male, female, and what else? >> i believe that intersect is also knowledge but i'm not a doctor here. what i can say -- inner sex there's a difference between sex and gender and i think in a these conversations we're conflating the two. >> but i want to start with sex okay there's male, there's female. when a baby is born before the baby has had time to even have a sense of self. there's male, female -- and inner sex because a third sex? >> i believe that is true and differ to dr. lopez as i'm not a physician. >> and how many genders are there? >> it is expansive and definitions are always growing. you know i can tell you -- >> more than five? >> talked about nonbinary.

it is not a buy their. but more than five jengders trying to understand more than five genders? >> i think there was a time where women wearing pants didn't feel like it was appropriate for their gender yet i'm wearing pants today. i think that there are ways that we express --in >> are there more than five genders? >> i wouldn't suggest myself to naming how many genders there are but -- >> indefinite number? >> excuse me -- >> there's an indefinite number of genders? >> i think depending on your culture there are a lot of different genders that exist and i can also say that it is a term that's evolving if you look at young people today they really don't lean into the binary of women not to legislate on this but create space to explore what their gender identities are. >> let's get back to athletics. i think i understand what you're saying three sexes --

male, female and inner sex. >> i believe that to be true but again i'm not a physician. >> indefinite number of jengders because that is a mental state. >> it is about expression and there are a variety of ways to express your gender. >> so indefinite number. all right. let's got, back to the biology. male, female -- boy, girl -- okay. biologically, do males have an advantage over females biological in sports? >>nt again i'm not a physician. and i can't speak to that. >>n what's your real world experience? >> it depends. there's some people who are born male that i'm faster than if i were to sprint against them and some i'm not some males that are taller than some women some that are shorter. >> a biological male has a physical advantage in sports over a biological female? >> not as if a definitive

statement -- >> give me an example well -- no i don't think -- how many female members of the nba do yoube see? >> i can say there's been a news article about men think they can beat serena williams in tennis they could score a point on her. and it's just not the case. she is stronger than them. >> what's your experience been male, female -- >> both serena and venice loss to the third rank tennis player my husband swam at university of kentucky in terms of ac accolades in terms of national ranking much betterll swimmer tn him. he could kick any butt any day of the week without trying. >> okay. >> i just think ms. robinson i'm trying to understand where you're coming from. i think you lose a lot of credibility when you don't

concede that a biological male has physical advantages over a biological female. i mean, i think that's a proven fact. and you really hurt your credibility it understand you wants the world to be a better place i do too and i don't think -- people ought to be discriminated against be -- because of an immutable characteristic. i don't. and i think everybody ought to be free to be themselves. and what you do in your bedroom or what i do in my bedroom with a consenting adult is nobody's business. but if -- what i do in my bedroom with a consenting adult if i decide i want to tell somebody's child about it, then other people have rights too. and i think parents have rights.

and i think biological females have rights to be able to compete fairly in sports. in -- in sports, so i really -- i really think you hurt your credibilithe you refuse to acknowledge that biological males have an advantage over biological female it is kind of makes me wonder about all of your testimony. thank you mr. chairman. >> i'm sorry go ahead. .... what i'm trying to say is that there's not a definitive advantage in all cases, sir, i don't know if you believe that you could beat serena williams in tennis, but i probably think that that's not the case. there are not all cases where all men are are physically superior to alli women. the end of the day in this conversation we are not talking about that. we are tight but trans women who are in fact women. he served to play in gender that matches their sports that deserve the benefits it's

talking about rape as a black woman i can say definitively my womanhood is not threatened by a transgender person as well. ex- senator ferrone out. but thank you, mr. chairman i think all of the persons were testifying today. mr. robinson's you know what percentage of women sports consists of transgender participants? what's at the very small number. i can say that williams institute has estimated about 300,000 trans youth total in the united states for that is less o than a percentage of a percent heard with some of these laws are passed in places like utah brought sports that banned kids from playing as early as the age of five years old. utah specifically the governor explored more about that piece of legislation he lesser called accrual impacted fortran students in the state and one trans girl.

we know there's a very small percentage ofha trans women thee bills are targeting. you know what to say. human rights belong to everyone. trans rights are human rights i think we must do more to assure the trans community lgbtq+ committeemu more broadly endless as their off authentic self re- threat of an real violence or discrimination. so ms. walker, thank you very much for being here purdue playing sports? do you participate or compete in sports? >> i do not. >> would you say most i would think that most transgender girls are not competing in sports they just want to be able to be free from these totally discriminatory laws that is not

allowed to be yourself. >> yes. that is definitely a case i do not personally compete in sporta i cannot speak for those who compete in sports. i will sensing a more scary for us in situation like that. can you imagine somebody like me competing, having to compete in a mensa's 14 question of having detrimental to a men's health. i would feel unsafe. and like the equality act are necessary to protect the trans people from discrimination. i have the right as a woman to compete and win in sports. justy because i was not born and a female body does not mean i do not have the same right. >> thank you.

songs are focusing on sports of course we know they're huge, huge t differences in so-called mail sports and the support given to mail sports the mail athletes versus women sports. there's all kinds of data about the discrimination of the so-called mail and female sports. one of my colleagues who is very much opposed to transgender persons competing and female sports said we allowed transgender persons to compete against females that we are going to see coaches encouraging boys to become transgender to compete against girls. ms. robinson is this is what's happening in sports? >> no it is not. there is an incredible process people have to go through to come out that can be painful it's about exposing yourself to your family come into your friends are different ways. i cannot imagine somewhat enduring all of that simply to play a sport.

these are people who are only trying to live as harley has told us to play a sport that matches their gender identity they get the positive benefits we talk about. self-esteem building self-confidence accountability to work within teams. i cannot see why we operate denied the opportunity to children as young as five years old. >> one lasto question. rip all these laws don't say gay and other of laws maybe this is a question for dr. lopez. as you were present transgender community lgbtq persons what to these kinds of bands on books what kind of impact are they have on the persons that you treat? >> these -- one has to remember transgender children and adolescents are already vulnerable population. they have to make an extra

effort compared to non- transgender children to socialize, to feel like they belong. to participate in sports which they have the right to as harley said. if there is already at climax avenue you can be targeted, you will be treated differently this tends to isolate themselves. i have patients who have no friends, zero friends. i have patients who online school because they're terrified to go to t school. that can be terrifying for them. i have one patient i saw this told me aom 12-year-old to play soccer is not competitive just for the schoolhi she told me this bill will be devastating to my child i will have to move out of state if this participation passes that has kept my child alive.

that is that helped engage. and feel accepted with peers. cs all of this is harming their social lives and the growth of my patients. of these kids. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you centers. senator whitehouse. >> thank you very much, appreciate this hearing chairman, appreciate the panel being here. dr. lopez i had my own hearing and another committee that a chair so coming late to this one. i apologize if this is a repeat question. but i wonder if there is an age or a phase of the life when young people begin to experience heaven uncertainty about their gender identity?

there is no specific age. and experience their gender is different as young as to when they start talking. a bite adolescents most people identify as transgender their gender is different. often puberty is a trigger to realize this is not my gender. they are experiencing physical changes that do not yield consistent with them in their gender. >> think a lot of people's experience is that puberty is a hard time in life are a lot of kids. entirely apart from genderki identity. it is not supported by any evidence and that being a teenager is a hard time of life irrespective of gender identity

that adolescence is a difficult awkward form of life, is there any evidence to support those propositions or is that my anecdotal experience? >> i'm not a mental health provider. i am not sure what specific data exist to show adolescence is a difficult time. but as a pediatrician, i do see that children anddr adolescents see a lot of support from parents, from the community to find who they are in different ways. social connection is very important and parental is very importanter adolescents. that is just a general concept. >> yes and i doubt many of us in this room would like to go back

and relive our teenage years. so, to accept the proposition that period of adolescence and the onset of puberty and it being a teenager and all of that is a difficult challenging and awkward time of life, presumably it gets a lot worse when you add to all the questions that kids experience and that phase of their lives. the additional question, concern, uncertainty, awareness that you have got a different gender identity. that's actually one of the benefits of gender forming care is to not to have to worry about their gender. at allows children to go on with their lives. to go on with school, delete normal kids social activities

they want to do. without having to worry about their gender because of their going through puberty that feels wrong they will not be comfortable in their skin to engage with peers. to go to school, to the normal thing that kids want to do. there think about their gender all the time and are not comfortable in the>> skin. >> this is at least initially mostly happening with kids, right? awareness of uncertainty about their gender or awareness they are in the wrong gender? >> attempted transgender adults as well. >> mostly it is kids. >> in transgender adults. >> yes. just seems to me when we are done with a population that

includes so many children coming at this from a perspective of kindness and love and support is the thing we ought to be doing as fellow human beings. the message i take away from this hearing there is no point being mean to these kids. they've got enough going onve already. ask if i could say something. these are the bravest kids just like harley you can help brave she is. these are the bravest kids there are. they have to fight every day to be themselves. when they feel like they're losing their fight is when they get depressed and commit suicide. it takes a lot of courage for these patients to go against the world really to advocate for their kids. to support them.

these are really good loving parents that just want their kids to be happy into the normal thingng that kids do. >> other grown-ups trying to score points off of all of that strikes me as being very unfortunate behavior. thank you. >> terribly unfair thank you records thank you, senator whitehouse. >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you to our panelists for joining us today. to all of you for your testimony and your courage in speaking publicly and speaking before the senate. i think it is worth just stepping back and acknowledging the tremendous stress and anxiety so many across the country are dealing with for reasons that without question. we see in survey after survey, as we see from mental health

professionals, from psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, that lb gtq youth are experiencing particularly in a political and cultural environment or as we have discussed today issues are being exploited to score achieve political points into divide people. and when we see vulnerable people targeted by powerful politicians for the purposes of dividing people and gaining power, with reckless disregard for the impact it has on particular children and young people are struggling who are doing were marginalized who are

bravely grappling to reconcile themselvesex and how they feel about themselves with expectations of family and society. and a political environment is imposed on them and mix them into center of attention and a focus criticism and hatred, children. it is worth just stepping back. powerful people in the u.s. senate reflecting on the impact of our words, ourem deeds, our statements. i have the same from george i like your view on it. recent data from the trevor project. 72% lgbtq youth in georgia expensing anxiety 59% with depression.on 46% seriously considering

suicide. can you comment on the impact it has on vulnerable and marginalized youth? when they are made political targets in this endless partisan power struggle of the nation's capitol? >> it's actually devastating p r its devastating the way we have put a target on trans youth. i think about the history of my movement came to the forefront in the 80s by the early '90s you have lost a whole generation of gay men. i do not want us to repeat that story with our trans youth. this is a time we can offer them the support, the resources, the affirmation and validity of their existence to ensure they survive. and when we do not get people like harley at the end of the stay will put this is a real opportunity for us to ensure the

most vulnerable among us is protected because our rights and our civil liberties are d.intertwined. >> ms. robinson, in addition to the impact on the mental health, the sense of whether or not one community and society is welcoming, loving and kind or whether what is being turned into a target and a bargaining chip between political parties in the struggle for o power. and it of course not just the impact on the individual's mental health. it is the risk of being targeted by a violent act or a hate crime. additional data nationwide according to the fbi nearly one in five hate crimes in 2021 were motivated by anti- lgbtq bias.

between 2017 and 2020 d.o.j. data demonstrating extreme levels of violence. against lgbtq persons across the country. again i am asking you please to remind the senate that what we do here has a powerful impact on people's sense of well-being. and on the risk they face of violence can you comment on the risk of violence please? >> absolute. i talked to people everyday living in a space. the feeling isolated and fearing feeling fearful for their very lives affect the black gentleman who again of experience in the deadly year end they talk about going out to house sit, walk their dog or go to school being fearful that's the day they do get to go home again. i talked to parents of trans youth who are fleeing their state because they feel their family and their child will not get to grow into an adult. this is a crisis.

the hardest part is this is a crisis that is man-made. that people can solve for it by stopping these bad pieces of legislation and stop to take away the humanity of trans people in lgbtq+ community. >> and keep mr. rob ms. robinson thank you visser chairman. >> thank you, senator welch? i think you mr. chairman. i want to thank all the witnesses are being here for you have been tremendous enemies every single one of you. we are done with issues that really affect people in a very personal way. mr. walker, thank you for your courage. thank you for coming forward and telling us your short story aensuring it. i want to say thank you to everyone of you. this whole challenge we have as a society and it is not unique to the u.s. society, defining people who are other as less title to be fully accepted as

been an ongoing situation we face throughout our history. recently in vermont will be the first state to pass civil unions the incumbent governor sign that bill nearly lost hisrl reelecti. many of the arguments being made here about why that would be bad dissolved. once the law was passed in people work together then what before had been seen as wrong, we were allowed to see what love existed between this people got a civil union. in a few years later varanasi state to pass marriage. what senator was talking about is kind of dynamic i think. it's only cured by acceptance. none ofd us know what shoes each of us walk in. we just know we are all time to figure out life and who we are.

and how we can be who we are and be fully fully engaged in being a generous open and loving person to everyone else. so, the equality act is so important. it essentially acknowledges with the force of law lgbtq+ folks are entitled to the same rights and protections as everyone else. that is my statement here. it is a statement of appreciation about each of you being here. these are gripping issues for everyone. i come down on the sidet of except what people struggles are. and acceptance.

went to asmus walker viewing to say anything else about the extraordinary issues you had tou go through as you had this emerging sense of who you were that was not quite right in for who you thought you were, wanted to be, and were entitled to be. but that is not an easy decision to make the start walking down that road. next out to the earlier by dr. lopez and ms. robinson , coming up is such a difficult process for so many lgbtq people. for me, i was lucky to have such a supporting family and supportive friends as well. that is not the case for so many other lgbtqtq americans. i came out at the time this was before any of the anti- trans legislation was being introduced. it was still difficult for me i cannot imagine trans kids coming

out in thiss modern era of the hate, name-calling and violence by the state legislatures being called demons, groomers, everything like that. meet being called out by my state legislation alabama governor who is elected to represent everybody inod their statement everyone in the district attacking those people for simply being who they are is discussing. having equality act to protect his kids do do not have such a big support system and stop the incredibly violent rhetoric that is being introduced. it is incredibly important. >> thank you very much dr. lopez you deal within kids. we were all kids once. but is some law that tells a child for a young teen, a young adult who they can or can't be going to be persuasive to that

person who is going through some of the internal struggles that people go through to fully realize their own identity for the law that imposes and prohibits them from exploring who they want to be, at any chance of working versus acceptance? something to try to understand your question. right pets and gender forming cara what are the chances of this children? >> i'm out of time. i did not ask them very well but i'm out of time and i deal back. thank you very much. greg's think is senator welch. i have to go vote on a roll call that's about to come to an end. i'm going to have to bring into a right want to say two or three things having accepted the entire hearing and listened all the questions. we ended up with three issues here for the first issue is

violence on a hope we can all agree violence is an unacceptable expression in a democracy. there ways to express yourself loose, press, voting otherwise. violence is unacceptable whether it's in san francisco college whether it is in the classrooms of high school in alabama. whether it is the victims were lgbtq, the hate crimes which sadly are increasing. unacceptable both sides of the table. that is onene thing. second thing is we have two issues that have emerged here. one is an issue with ms. walker. i was so concerned about your coming here today, really. i did not have to be. you are terrific. you really have toys and make ap presentation that is very powerful. speaks well of you and certainly your family who stood behind you as you made this difficult transition in life.

but we are time of the other haley walkers, harley walkers across the united states and when it they will have the same opportunity for medical care, good professional medical care based on science and medicine or state legislature will step in and save we do not family to make this decision, we will be good for you. i think that is wrong. as a set at the outset parents have a responsibility, life-and-death decision-making. what is clear is the basic misunderstanding of the careless being given to gender affirmation. think dr. lopez clarified that notion the road went to surgery or medicines being dispensed with abandon does not bear any creed we look at the organizationre support syrups te current method of gender forming care. american medical association academy ofan pediatrics. and finally, ms. gaines, i get it. understand why you feel as you

do. you have dedicated a big part of your life in an extraordinary way to a sport. something happened along the way which is seared your memory of that experience and use you to speak out. there's got to be a way for us as americans to enter the conversation. it does not protect your rights atns the expense of our witnessn alabama. there has to be a way we can find that is respectful of transgender individuals. and respectful of what you have done with your life and the professionalism you brought to it. that's up to us on this other table as i have said earlier. i was not sure about this hearing but i am sure now i'm glad we had i'm glad you ought a chance to testify and answer the questions we had such fulsome cooperation and participation by all of the members of the committee. thee. power to make the promisef equal power under justice a

reality. but is a job in the senate. let's use this power to protect everyone especially the lgbtq families are fundamental freedom in our nation's future with the committee will stand adjourned. [background noises] expect respect

[inaudible conversations] [background noises] a look know it what is coming up on c-span2 break up next build up the consumer financial protection bureau's director on the agency semi annual report. republican presidential candidate nikki haley talks to reporters about her husband

major at my haley deployment to u.s. africa command. later state and defense department officials give testimony on u.s. policy for nato and ukraine for this before the house foreign affairs subcommittee on europe. those programs are more tonight on cspan2. by saturday it marks the first anniversary of the supreme court in dbs decision overturning roe versus wade. former vice president mikeence joins others for the national celebrate life they rally at the lincoln memorial bird watch live coverage saturday mning beginning eastern on c-span c-span now our free mobile video app or online at c-span.org. next sunday on q and a, historian cassandra good talks about the complicated legacy of george washington. that they never had children together george and martha washington raised martha's

children. later grandchildren of their own. together they made up america's first family. >> people often say who are you writing about? first i was not sure. there were plenty of nieces and nephews who inherit mount vernon those people did not go around selling themselves as george washington's heirs in the next generation family. it was related to martha but not george or children made careers of giving george washington's family. >> cassandra good of her book first family at 98 eastern on c-span q and a. you can acute length and all of our are free c-span now app. -- historian.

he is 57 lives in london this novelist wife and their two children. he has written 12 books, nine nonfiction three novels for his latest effort is called the world, a family history of humanity. included in the index 1304 pages. his preference historian writes i have always wanted to write an intimate with a traditional one which is the fruit of a lifetime of study and travels. simon and his latest book the world, aamy history of humanity in this episode of book that's plus book notes plus isabella c-span now free mobile app or wherever you get your podcast. ♪ x unfiltered view of government. funded by these television companies and more including comcast. >> are you think i