Hundreds of LGBTQ+ community members, allies, and lawmakers came together at the Indiana Statehouse on Thursday morning to celebrate LGBTQ+ Statehouse Day.
The event organizers emphasize that this is a crucial time, highlighting proposed legislation that they believe specifically aims to undermine the rights of transgender individuals in Indiana.
Proposed legislation aims to prevent individuals from updating their birth certificate to match their gender identity, a process currently allowed with a court order.
The Department of Health and BMV are being urged by another proposed bill to identify birth certificates and driver’s licenses that have undergone gender changes. According to the bill, these documents would need to be reverted back to their original gender.
“We won’t go back! We won’t go back!” echoed through the Statehouse on Thursday as hundreds of people gathered to express their support for the legislation that has been introduced. The message was clear: Indiana lawmakers need to understand that there is no turning back.
“We won’t let fear hold us back,” shouted Emma Vosicky passionately, as the crowd erupted in applause.
Vosicky serves as the executive director of GenderNexus, a non-profit organization dedicated to offering assistance and tools for individuals in Indiana who identify as gender-diverse, as well as their families.
“It is absolutely essential for people to feel supported and cared for, especially when they are feeling alone and scared,” emphasized Vosicky. “Having the opportunity to know that they are not alone and that there are others who are there for them can make a significant difference in their well-being.”
Krisztina and Ken Inskeep have made it their mission to cultivate this message within the support group they lead for transgender children and their parents.
“It brings us closer and reminds us that we are not alone in this battle,” expressed Krisztina Inskeep.
The Inskeep’s have a grown transgender son who lives out of state. In 2023, the couple testified at the Indiana Statehouse against a bill that eventually became a law.
Indiana’s Senate Enrolled Act 480 has placed a ban on both parents and doctors from administering hormone therapy and puberty blockers to transgender children.
Hoosier doctors are prohibited by law from discussing out-of-state options with parents.
Inskeep pointed out that individuals are unable to discuss potential options or the available treatments.
State Senator Tyler Johnson (R-District 14) issued a statement to 13News regarding SEA 480, the legislation he authored.
“I feel a deep sense of empathy for children who are struggling with gender dysphoria and strongly believe that they should receive appropriate counseling. The number of gender-related procedures being performed on children in the United States has been increasing at an alarming rate in recent years. Given the irreversible and life-changing nature of these procedures, it is crucial that our state has safeguards in place to ensure that they are only performed on adults who are capable of making informed decisions for themselves.”
State Representative Chris Campbell (D-District 26) has introduced House Bill 1444 this session, aiming to eliminate the phrase “aiding and abetting” from the existing law. According to parents of transgender children, this language restriction hinders their ability to have open discussions with their children’s doctors about the out-of-state treatments their children are undergoing.
“All we’re trying to do is let our kid be who our kid is and to raise them well,” said Ken Inskeep.
The House Public Health Committee has not yet scheduled a hearing for HB 1444 this session.
The call to action at Thursday’s rally was prompted by this.
“If you want your legislators to hear that bill, it’s crucial to make your voice heard,” Vosicky exclaimed passionately. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, acknowledging the importance of his words.