The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-MA) issued the following statement on recent anti-LGBTQIA+ violence:
[Earlier this month], Boston Children’s Hospital was targeted with a bomb threat. It is the latest act of violence against the hospital, which has been targeted since August by anti-transgender extremists trying to hinder the hospital’s capacity to provide gender-affirming health care to transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents. Over the weekend, Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado, was the site of a fatal mass shooting. Rebekah Gewirtz,Executive Director of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, offered the following comments in response:
“We condemn these acts of violence and intimidation in the strongest possible terms. LGBTQIA+ people have the right to live safely in their communities without fear. Transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents and their families have a right to quality, gender-affirming health care. Attempts to terrorize LGBTQIA+ people through violence and attempts to intimidate social workers, clinicians, and others who provide health care, support, and services are unconscionable.
“Health care decisions should be made by patients, providers, and their families. The NASW Code of Ethics states unequivocally that clients, including gender diverse children and adolescents and their families, have the right to self-determination in seeking the health care, support, and services that they need. We are opposed to any action, whether it is online harassment and violence, or legislative bans on gender-affirming health care, that interfere with a patient’s right to access care or a social workers’ ability to provide it.
“In Boston and in Colorado, social workers are providing care, support, and services to those targeted by violent extremism. In some cases, social workers themselves are being targeted. These violent acts have no place in our society and we support social workers who bravely, each day do their duty to provide care.”
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