A bill designed to shield families seeking gender-affirming healthcare for their children passed through the Minnesota House of 
Representative Kristi Pursell (D-Northfield), a sponsor of the bill, said she was thrilled to have voted in favor of it.
According to data provided by the House of Representatives press office, gender-affirming health care encompasses a range of social and medical interventions to affirm someone’s internal gender identity, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, permanent hair removal, voice therapy, and, in rare cases, surgical interventions.
Specifically, the bill prohibits the enforcement of a court order for removal of a child or enforcement of another state’s law being applied in a pending child protection action in Minnesota when the law of another state allows the child to be removed from the parent or guardian for receiving medically necessary health care or mental health care that respects the gender-identity of the patient.
The bill’s Chief Author, Representative Leigh Finke (D-St. Paul), a trans woman and the first trans representative in the Minnesota Legislature, said anti-trans laws enacted or being proposed in other states are part of a “cruel agenda” to create a culture of fear in children, their parents and adults, leading some to move to another state.
House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) told the StarTribune on Thursday that Democrats were reaching too far on this bill.
“Democrats are going to tell you that this is what Minnesota voted for, but it is not. The vast majority of parents in Minnesota do not put these issues as a top concern for their children.”
Representative Peggy Scott (R-Andover) added, “It allows children, regardless of age, to seek and receive radical medical treatments … all without their parents’ guidance and love.”
Representative Pursell, however, disagreed with her Republican colleagues.
“The trans kids I know and love deserve access to healthcare,” she said. “Families who may need to come to our state because they are being persecuted in their home states and cannot get the healthcare they need should also be safe from harm and retribution from their home state.”
A companion bill has been introduced into the Minnesota Senate by Senator Erin Maye Quade (D-Apple Valley).
Fundraisers for Healthfinders, Pride in the Park on tap at Imminent Brewing
Imminent Brewing has announced they will be hosting a pair of fundraisers in April, one to benefit Healthfinders Collaborative and the 
other to benefit the annual Pride in the Park celebration.
The Health Finders Collaborative fundraiser on Wednesday April 5th will focus on the mental health of our young people. The film Hiding in Plain Sight will be screened at 6pm and will be followed by a panel discussion.
Hiding in Plain Sight is produced by PBS and acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns. According to the PBS website, it focuses on more than twenty young people who provide an intimate look at what it’s like to experience the symptoms of mental illness, from depression to addiction to suicide ideation. The film includes insights from families, providers, and advocates and explores the impact of childhood trauma, stigma, and social media.
The following week on Wednesday, April 12th, Imminent will host Pints for Pride, to benefit Northfield’s annual Pride in the Park celebration. Pride in the Park, which has drawn more than 5000 attendees over its brief, two-year existence, has become a standalone event in its third year, and is no longer sponsored by the City of Northfield. The event at Imminent Brewing, which will work to raise funds that will help Pride in the Park become an annual event in perpetuity, will be hosted by Northfield’s own Mrs. Moxie and will feature games and a silent auction.
Events like this were once commonplace at Imminent Brewing. Prior to the Covid pandemic, the brewery hosted the Downstream Film festival with Clean River Partners, a regular monthly science night in collaboration with Carleton College, and other events for Just Food Coop, and Laura Baker Services Association.
Imminent Brewing co-owner Laura Meyers said the brewery is proud to support organizations and causes that she and her husband Derek see as vital to the community.
“We are so proud to be hosting these community events in April! Supporting our beloved community is a staple of our mission. Healthfinders provides invaluable care to our community, and we are particularly pleased to be discussing mental health, which is an issue that is near and dear to our hearts. And supporting our LGBTQ+ community members is absolutely crucial now. One of my personal goals with the event is to make sure folks identifying as LGBTQ+ know that they are a beautiful part of this whole community and that we are a safe and welcoming space for all.”
The Healthfinders Collaborative event is scheduled for April 5th from 5:30 to 8:30pm, and Pints for Pride will be Wednesday, April 12th from 5-8pm. For more information visit the Healthfinders Collaborative website at healthfindersmn.org, and the Pints for Pride event page on Facebook.
Car seat clinics at Community Action Centers in Northfield, Faribault
Rice County Public Health, in collaboration with Growing Up Healthy and Community Action Center, will host two community car seat clinics 
this week. Both events are for families or caregivers wondering if their seats are installed properly and safely.
Certified car seat technicians will inspect and assess car seats to ensure they fit the child and that they are correctly secured in the vehicle.
The first clinic will be this Thursday, March 30th, from 9am-noon at the Northfield Community Action Center.
The second will be Friday, March 31st, at the Faribault Community Action Center
To schedule an appointment on either day, contact Child and Teen Checkups Coordinator Zahra Mataan at Rice County Public Health at 507-333-3818.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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