CCC Supports HB26-1087: "Safeguard Minors from Sex-Altering Interventions"

The Colorado Catholic Conference Supports HB26-1087, Safeguard Minors from Sex-Altering Operations.

At its core, part of this bill is about fundamental principles we apply to almost every other area of the law: that children lack the developmental maturity to make life-altering, irreversible medical decisions. We don't allow minors to get tattoos or purchase alcohol because we recognize that the 'permanent' should not be decided by the 'temporary' impulsivity of youth. HB-1087 acknowledges the growing international shift toward caution. Countries like the UK, Sweden, and Finland have begun pulling back on these life altering interventions, citing a lack of long-term evidence regarding safety and efficacy. When we talk about puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, we are talking about chemicals that impact bone density, brain development, and future fertility. When we talk about surgery, we are talking about irreversible physical changes to healthy bodies. We should not be fast-tracking minors into a medical pipeline. As a society, we must recover a sense of wonder and reverence for the human body. Medical science is at its best when it heals and restores, not when it disrupts the natural, healthy functions of a developing child. Furthermore, this bill rightfully restores the primary role of parents in the upbringing of their children. A parent’s role is not a privilege granted by the government—it is a duty and a right. Assaulting these rights does not protect children; it alienates them from their primary support system and replaces parental love with institutional bureaucracy. HB-1087 protects the sacred bond between parent and child, ensuring that families can guide their children through the confusion of adolescence without fear of state interference. It upholds the right of parents to protect their children from decisions that will carry consequences for a lifetime." Let us choose a path of humility and caution. Let us honor the design of the human person and protect the smallest among us from harms they cannot yet understand. Let Colorado stand with parents, and support families. The Colorado Catholic Conference urges a 'yes' vote on HB-1087.