Jamie Reed doesn’t fit the stereotype of an expert witness speaking on behalf of Republican legislation dealing with sex and gender. A self-described “queer woman politically to the left of Bernie Sanders,” Reed has been active in the LGBT community and is executive director of the “LGBT Courage Coalition.”

But when Reed testifies before the House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee on Monday, it will be based on her work as a case manager at The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Watching children – some as young as three — being “treated” for gender dysphoria or receiving “gender-affirming care” left her so shaken that she is now an outspoken opponent of sex change procedures for children.

“I saw a number of increasing harms, saw a lot of real questions about the scientific methodology and what we were doing,” Reed told NHJournal in a podcast interview. “Puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries. I have traveled all over the nation (talking) about what is the actual best evidence-based medicine for kids who are telling us that they’re distressed about their bodies. And there are a lot of kids right now saying this.”

Reed’s efforts in Missouri led to that state banning those medications and procedures for children. New Hampshire has banned genital gender reassignment surgery, sometimes referred to as “bottom” surgery, for minor children.

State Rep. Lisa Mazur (R-Goffstown) has proposed bills to ban...

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