Staff Reports
Democratic Pennsylvania State Representative Emily Kinkead has faced backlash after suggesting that physicians should be legally required to perform cross-sex treatments on patients, with those refusing potentially being “held accountable.” Kinkead’s comments were made in support of HB 300, a bill that extends anti-discrimination laws to include gender identity, sex, and sexual orientation in Pennsylvania. Critics, however, have raised concerns that the addition of gender identity could unfairly penalize those objecting to transgender medical procedures, as well as cause issues in relation to public bathroom usage.
This state rep is trying to force doctors to trans kidshttps://t.co/CLyYXOhpdt
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 25, 2023
Advocates of the bill, including Kinkead, claim that those denying gender-affirming care to those not identifying with their assigned gender inflict harm on these patients. However, critics such as conservative advocacy group Pennsylvania Policy have argued that the legislation could force organizations to hire employees based on their beliefs regarding sexuality, require spaces such as women’s shelters to accept men identifying as transgender women, and compel doctors to perform procedures that contradict their personal beliefs.
Many conservatives have spoken out against the proposed legislation, arguing that it goes too far in upending traditional social mores. Alexis Sneller, policy analyst at Pennsylvania Family Institute, sharply criticized the bill in a recent press release stating “No Pennsylvania school district or community should be subjected to the harms that would be caused by [the sponsor’s] intolerant bill.” Such sentiments have led many to reject Kinkead’s proposal outright.
Despite the criticism, Kinkead has not responded to requests for comment on her statements. If the bill goes ahead, it is unclear exactly how its inclusion of gender identity would play out in relation to both medical professionals and larger society as a whole.
