Ismail Royer, RFI’s Islam and Religious Freedom Director, testified yesterday before the Health and Government Operations Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates regarding House Bill 1399, the Protect the Kids Act. Introduced by Delegate Lauren Arikan, the proposed legislation would prohibit health care practitioners from prescribing puberty blockers to minors to treat “gender nonconformity.”

In his testimony, Royer advised lawmakers that the bill would protect the free exercise rights of healthcare professionals with sincere religious objections to procedures aimed at changing the sex of minors. It would also protect the rights of parents, Royer said, because Maryland law currently allows minors aged sixteen and older to receive puberty blockers without their parents’ knowledge or consent.

As for the objection that the bill would impinge on the rights of parents and healthcare providers seeking to give puberty-blocking drugs to minors, Royer argued that such medical interventions are harmful, and that religious and parental rights do not extend to the intentional infliction of harm on children.

Watch Royer’s testimony here.