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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Michael J. on the Importance of Gender-Affirming Care
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Michael J., a cisgender father of a transgender child, testifies in support of all proposed resolutions, emphasizing the importance of gender-affirming care and the quality of medical support his family received in New York City. He expresses concern about hospitals not being held accountable for discrimination against transgender individuals.
- Highlights the cautious and careful approach of doctors in providing gender-affirming care
- Expresses shock at world-class hospitals like NYU Langone discriminating against transgender individuals
- Emphasizes the need for healthcare based on medical necessity rather than political pressure
Michael J.
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you.
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Sorry for stepping.
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Alright.
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Thanks committee for, having me today.
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My name is Michael Jarvella.
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I'm a dad, cisgender dad, heterosexual.
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I'm still married.
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My wife, Carrie Keenan, we've lived here for thirty five years.
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I'm the parent of two kids.
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My 19 year old is trans.
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My 17 year old is just a cisgender girl.
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They're both living thriving, happy lives, and I am in, definite support of all the proposals and resolutions today, mostly because of gender affirming care.
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Our journey, when it started, as parents, we needed advice, and we needed good advice.
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And thank God we lived in New York because we got it.
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New York had the doctors we needed.
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I can't even say enough good things about all of the doctors that we've had through the years.
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We had support groups.
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And after going through this journey for more than a decade and seeing a child that was consistent and persistent, the doctors were incredibly careful.
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They were very cautious, and the parents, we were all scared.
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Speaking just for myself and my wife, we were terrified, and thank God we got the help we needed.
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So what what I'm very concerned about is that we're not being quite loud enough about holding the hospitals accountable.
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World class hospitals.
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NYU Langone is a world class hospital that is discriminating, which is a bit shocking to me and doing something that's illegal.
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So I know the doctors that we encountered had a commitment to providing health care based on medical necessity rather than political pressure.
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I'm a little bit shocked that somehow we're allowing hospitals to do the exact opposite.
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Thank you for having me.