LGBTQ+ Community, Allies Push Back Against Chelan Douglas Health District Board Member's Stance on Gender-Affirming Care
The backlash came after a leaked email from board member Bill Sullivan showed that he wants the health district to take a stand against gender-affirming care for minors in the region
For the first time in years something other than COVID-19 conspiracy theories dominated public comment time at the Chelan Douglas District’s monthly board meeting on Monday.
For nearly an hour folks speaking in three-minute increments shared their thoughts and feelings about a leaked email from board member Bill Sullivan in which he advocated the health district take a stance against gender-affirming care for minors. Others vented their displeasure about the district’s food vendor permitting and health inspection processes.
They were joined by the usual handful of folks demanding the CDHD stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations in the region. A Chelan county woman named Joan Steichen brought what she said was a vial full of “fibrous calamari-type clots” wrapped in tissue paper that she alleged an “embalmer in Idaho found” that prove Covid vaccines cause blood clotting in the lungs.
“What I do have for you today is the actual vial of these clots,” she said. “And I’m going to pass them around the room and ask you to look at these and ponder have you ever heard of or seen anything that looked like this before?”
Holding up his hand, Chelan County Commissioner and board chair Shon Smith interrupted her before she could pass the vial around.
“Actually Joan, we’re not going to be taking any exhibits today,” he said. “You’re welcome to leave it on the table if you like.”
She declined to do that but said she’d leave them “a few strands” if they wanted.
The conspiracy theory she was repeating was debunked by fact checkers in 2022, and according to the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 vaccines available in the US do not cause blood clots or heart problems. In fact, the risk of heart problems seems to be higher from a COVID-19 infection.
Although Steichen is off camera, you can watch that exchange here.
But the first person to speak was an actual medical expert, a pediatric hospitalist with Confluence Health named Dr. Jason Hoard, who has provided gender-affirming care to minors. He was there to respond to Sullivan’s call for the health district to take a stand against that type of care.