A Massachusetts government agency has recommended that the governor and legislature pass a child abuse law to target parents who deny their LGBTQ children gender transition-related health care.
The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, which advises state agencies on policies and programs for LGBTQ kids, submitted its ‘Report & Recommendations’ on child welfare for fiscal 2024, asking that Democrat Gov. Maura Healey and the Democrat-majority legislature ‘improve Massachusetts child abuse laws to explicitly include the withholding of gender-affirming care for LGBTQ youth.’
The commission, citing the World Health Organization, says ‘gender-affirming care’ includes psychological and medical interventions that ‘affirm a patient’s gender identity and expression.’
‘[T]he Commission recommends that the state examine the possibility of codifying gender-affirming child welfare protections in state law to better support youth and families,’ the report says.
The commission also wants the state government to consider creating a ‘maltreatment code system’ for LGBTQ youth within the state Department of Children and Families ‘to better support social workers in tracking and addressing critical cases and incidents.’
The commission and the governor’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiries.
The report was first pointed out on Twitter by Substack writer Wesley Yang.
Jessica Chasmar is a digital writer on the politics team for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Jessica.Chasmar@fox.com.
