by Renee McGuinness
VTDigger has presented a very biased perspective on gender-affirming industry ‘shield laws,’ H.89 and S.37, into law on May 10th by Governor Scott.
Sarah Mearhoff’s article Phil Scott Signs Landmark Reproductive Shield Bills Into Law mischaracterized Vermont Family Alliance (VFA) as an anti-abortion group. Vermont Family Alliance is a parental rights and minor protections advocacy group. All VFA’s testimonies to Committees at the State House and commentaries on H.89 and S.37 address the so-called “gender-affirming care” aspects of both bills.
Our analysis, testimonies, and commentaries were sent to all Vermont media outlets, including VTDigger. VTDigger did not publish any of our well-researched commentaries and analysis and has failed to consider any other point-of-view regarding transgender treatments.
Sarah provided a quote from Lucy Leriche, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England’s vice president of Vermont public affairs, yet failed to reach out to VFA for comment. Statements from Vermont Right to Life Committee and Pregnancy Resource Centers are also noticeably absent.
VTDigger is a journalism trust that claims it is a news organization “in pursuit of truth” that reports “without fear or favor”, and whose mission is, “to produce rigorous journalism that explains complex issues, promotes public accountability and fosters democratic and civic engagement.”
VTDigger, along with legislators, failed to serve Vermonters by intentionally ignoring perspectives from VFA, a grassroots group of Vermont citizens and constituents that provided rigorous studies on the negative outcomes of so-called gender-affirming care, and declining input from both experts with dissenting points-of-view and patients harmed by so-called gender-affirming care.
VTDigger has failed to fulfill its mission on the issues of gender ideology, so-called gender-affirming care, and all aspects of H.89 and S.37 ‘shield laws.’
The author is a Monkton resident and policy analyst for the Vermont Family Alliance.