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Talia Perkins's avatar

"The youngest patient in the case, represented by her parents, is just 12 years old; she began her social transition at age 5, and is universally known as a girl. Her medical treatment was abruptly terminated. She was denied a referral and forced off her medication, which could trigger “male” puberty—essentially making her medically detransition."

I would have thought the legal hazard incurred by forcing a girl to grow a beard and deep voice, etc., would have had UPMC's attorney's flipping out and insisting that care be continued.

Hopefully now it will.

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Talia Perkins's avatar

Fantastic to hear and I hope for them a crushing success -- crushing to the phobes of course.

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Dee E Dressler's avatar

I'm 67 and I have known who I really was for at least 62 years. I so wish that things were different when I was 5 years old. This beautiful child and her loving parents made the right choice for her and to have that ripped away makes me scream with rage.

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Sophia Zoe Kilmer's avatar

They absolutely violated state law, and I am a transwoman, a Pennsylvania civil rights attorney. Please let me know if you have been aggrieved by this administration's anti-trans agenda in Pennsylvania. Excellent reporting as always Erin.

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Vanessa Schmithorst's avatar

I have a trans son whose care was cut off by UPMC. Fortunately we were able to continue care through a private provider. But yeah, sue the bastards. And fuck UPMC.

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Emily Sabol's avatar

Going to message you Sophia.

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Jan S. Gephardt's avatar

I'll be praying for the success of this legal action. Abruptly removing such important health care is horrifying, and the selective discrimination is abhorrent in the extreme. We can not only pray, by the way, but also register our support for trans rights with every representative we have, from the hyperlocal to the national level. Trans rights are human rights, and ultimately ALL rights are on the line.

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Essie's avatar

Good to see my governor taking a stand for trans rights. Also, if you are in Pennsylvania, DO NOT sit out the election this November. One of the biggest things on the ballot is to retain three members of the PA Supreme Court, as Republicans are launching a bid to not retain them to get their own people in. You can see from how SCOTUS is set up how important the courts are, so please vote accordingly if you're in PA. It's vitally important!

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Chrissy  Ulrey's avatar

Yaaaaasss!!!

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Ellen Adele Harper's avatar

Now this is an interesting bit of positive news. It is a strategy somewhat akin to the Disney/ABC boycott that brought Jimmy Kimmel back on the air.

Legal action against Trump is likely to be ignored as he goes on his monstrous way. But legal action against the corporate entities that bow the knee is another thing.

Yes, this is very interesting. I hope they win. I hope they win decisively and are awarded a settlement large enough to shake the business world and remind them who actually has the power.

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Sandra's avatar

I very much appreciate S. Baum’s reporting, and their being able to share a bit of good news, especially concerning

a large and politically important state where a lot of trans people live.

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Tamara's avatar

It's awful that it's come to this, no one should havd to fight for the care they need, but I'm glad some are able to try and fight back.

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Emily Sabol's avatar

Thank you so so much for covering this important story.

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Kassandra F.'s avatar

I wish them all the success in the world with their legal battle. The conservatives don’t want kids to be able to transition and go through the correct puberty because the ones that do are extraordinarily difficult to clock as being trans. They want to be able to easily clock us because they are turned on by us, yet they persecute us because they don’t see trans women as women, so their homophobia kicks in - resulting in them feeling internalized shame.

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ellobot's avatar

Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!!!!!!!!!! Get'em!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give them hell!!!!!! Do it for the kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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William Flug's avatar

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!

So grateful for their courage... the courage of their lawyers... and the commitment to basic dignity and human rights that they all embrace together!

Go kick ass!

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Mike Gelt's avatar

This is great it’s time something like this has taken place - We need more of these across the country - We must keep up our protests all over our country and keep pushing back against trump and his racist followers THESE PEOPLE NEED OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

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Tommy Lamont's avatar

Thanks for this report!!

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