Texas lawmakers’ attack on the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans children and their families, has shaken the community to its core by threatening its family foundation, its education, its safety, and even its health. Health care providers across Texas have restricted critical treatment to trans teens because of the fear of legal consequences and the threat of losing their medical licenses. This has forced trans teens to seek medical care out of state or forgo treatment altogether.

At Jolt Action, we believe that every resident of Texas deserves access to quality and affordable healthcare. We also believe that the medical care an individual receives is a private decision made between that person and their health care provider. 

Texas has the highest number of uninsured people in the nation and it leads the way in having the worst health outcomes for people, especially Latinos. Our state is the worst-ranked state when it comes to access to mental health. We champion healthcare as a human right and we believe that our country is overdue in joining other industrialized nations in prioritizing the health and wellbeing of our people. 

That is why we believe the actions taken by our state government against trans children’s right to accessible, affordable and quality health care is detrimental to the physical and mental well-being of trans children. 

A study done by the University of California at Berkeley found that 4.1 percent of Texans identify as LGBTQ+ and that this percentage is high compared to the national average of 3.6 percent. The Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area has the third-highest LGBTQ+ population in the United States, behind San Francisco, California and Portland, Oregon. 

We believe it is within reason to categorize this as a man-made health crisis, and we call our supporters to action by supporting our friends at the Kind Clinic in Austin and San Antonio. The Kind Clinic is a program of the Texas Health Clinic, a nonprofit that is considered a national leader in innovative sexual health care, including HIV prevention medication, HIV testing and care, STI testing and treatment, and gender-affirming care. The organization prides itself in providing a safe and supportive environment with special focus on serving the LGBTQ+ community and people impacted by HIV. 

You can show up as an ally during Pride Month and throughout the year by becoming involved with Kind Clinic’s efforts, including donating, volunteering, hosting an event or staying in touch with the organization. Click below to volunteer or donate!