PR: “Medical Ethics Defense Act” would protect conscience rights of medical professionals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
“MEDICAL ETHICS DEFENSE ACT” WOULD PROTECT CONSCIENCE RIGHTS OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
“The Medical Ethics Defense Act” (MED Act) was introduced today to protect the conscience rights of medical professionals and entities from being forced to provide any health care service which violates their conscience. Nine out of 10 religious medical professionals say they would rather stop practicing medicine than violate their beliefs.”
“Every American has a Constitutional right to operate according to their moral, ethical, and religious beliefs, and medical professionals are no different,” said NC Values’ Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “There has been an attack on the ethics and personal beliefs of medical professionals, driving out doctors, nurses and other entities from medical practice, and this bill would shield them from discrimination while stopping the hemorrhage of people leaving the profession.”
According to a survey of members of faith-based medical organizations, 23% of respondents reported personally experiencing discrimination, and 20% decided against a career in certain fields due to a lack of tolerance for their moral, ethical or religious beliefs; 80% of those respondents chose not to pursue an OBGYN specialty. Thirty-six percent of medical students say they were pressured or discriminated against by medical school administrators or faculty based on their beliefs.
SB 641 would protect medical practitioners and entities from discrimination, punishment, or retaliation for exercising their rights of conscience. It would also insulate healthcare payers and institutions from financial responsibility for health care services which violate their conscience rights. This legislation would give a private right of action to any party harmed by MED Act violations.
Said Fitzgerald, “We thank Senators Ralph Hise, Buck Newton, and Norm Sanderson for sponsoring the MED Act which would protect the Constitutional rights of medical professionals and institutions dedicated to medical care for patients.”
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Press Kit: Youth Health Protection Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
Electronic Press Kit
“YOUTH HEALTH PROTECTION ACT” WOULD SHEILD MINORS FROM DANGEROUS GENDER TRANSITION SURGERIES AND TREATMENTS
North Carolina children would be protected from genital mutilation and irreversible damage from gender transitioning surgeries and chemical castration, if the “Youth Health Protection Act” is successful in the NC General Assembly. Today, Senators Ralph Hise, Norman Sanderson and Buck Newton introduced SB 639 to prevent medical professionals from administering procedures including sterilization, mastectomies, castrations, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and other life-altering procedures and treatments on gender-confused children.
“In 2019 female genital mutilation on minors was outlawed in North Carolina, with both the House and Senate voting unanimously,” said NC Values Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald said. “Now it’s time to extend those protections to all children and to prohibit puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones and surgeries which can have life-altering consequences.
“I’m grateful Senators Hise, Sanderson and Newton are standing in the gap between innocent, confused young people and the gender transitioning industry and their activists, to protect them from amputation of healthy body parts and life-altering hormone therapies. North Carolina children deserve a natural childhood with all the typical changes and discoveries, shaping who they will become as individuals without medical professionals manipulating the gender confused to line their pockets, permanently altering the bodies of healthy children.”
Studies indicate the majority of children (84.2%) who struggle with gender dysphoria, revert to identifying with their biological gender, without medical interventions like puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones. Researchers believe the increase in the condition is related to social media, “clusters” in schools, and the culture normalizing gender dysphoria. Hormone altering drugs cause anxiety, depression, joint disorders, bone fractures and other negative effects. One Swedish study found, “Persons with transsexualism, after sex reassignment, have considerably higher risks for mortality, suicidal behavior, and psychiatric morbidity than the general population.”
“What started as an ideology has now become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Gender clinics operating in North Carolina at Duke, UNC, Cone Health, and Levine Children’s Hospital are mutilating patients without scientific proof of the efficacy of gender identity “treatments.” The use of puberty blockers for gender nonconforming children is experimental and not FDA-approved,” said Fitzgerald. “Allowing a child to make decisions on sterilization, amputation of healthy body parts and hormone manipulation is irreversible, irresponsible and immoral. This legislation would insulate children from the activists, companies, and medical professionals who are preying on children for profit.”
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Press Kit: Fairness in Women’s Sports Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2023
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
Electronic Press Kit
“FAIRNESS IN WOMEN’S SPORTS” ACT SEEKS TO PROTECT FEMALE ATHLETES’ SAFETY AND OPPORTUNITIES
Identical bills in the NC House and Senate were filed today, which would protect the safety and opportunities of female athletes in the state. HB 574 and SB 631, the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act” stipulates that all sports teams should be designated as male, female, or co-ed based on their biological sex and makes clear that males cannot play on female teams. The legislation applies to public schools, other schools which are part of the NCHSAA, and schools that play those teams.
“This bill would protect females from being forced to play against biological males on sports teams, which can leave females with injuries and cheats them out of equal opportunities,” said NC Values Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “Girls deserve a level playing field. Allowing males to compete in girls’ sports reverses nearly 50 years of advances for women. We can’t allow women to be benched from equal opportunities in sports.”
The legislation also protects students and any public school, or its representatives or employees, by creating a cause of action for harm due to non-compliance with the Act. In addition, it directs the State Board of Education to monitor middle and high schools to ensure compliance with the Act.
In October 2022, a Cherokee County NC high school girl was severely injured when a trans woman (biological male) spiked a ball in her face, causing her severe neck and head injuries, vision problems and long-term consequences from a concussion. A recent statewide poll by NC Values Coalition and NC Faith & Freedom Coalition showed 71 percent of North Carolinians believe biological males should not be allowed to play on female sports teams.
“A vast majority of North Carolinians agree it’s not safe or fair for biological boys to infringe on female sports. A male’s belief about his gender doesn’t erase his physical advantages over female athletes, and every male on the podium displaces a deserving girl,” said Fitzgerald. “Even the world’s best female Olympic athletes would lose to literally thousands of boys and men on any given day. I want to thank Representatives Jennifer Balkcom, Erin Pare, Kristin Baker,and Karl Gillespie, as well as Senators Kevin Corbin, Joyce Krawiec, and Vickie Sawyer, for sponsoring these bills which would allow females to compete fairly and safely, and achieve the medals, public recognition, and scholarships they have earned.”
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