California State Senator Scott Wiener appeared noticeably uneasy during a testimony by detransitioner Jonni Skinner before the California Senate Judiciary Committee. Skinner criticized Wiener’s SB 934, a proposal that broadens civil liability for licensed mental health professionals involved in what is described as “conversion therapy,” and extends the time patients have to file lawsuits against their former therapists.
“As a child, I was quite effeminate, and I came across trans influencers online. They said things like, ‘Change your body, and life improves. Don’t change it, and it gets worse,’ or so my doctors told my mom that I might end my life,” Skinner recalled. “The medical and mental health professionals never inquired about the reasons behind my feelings. Instead, they treated me with blockers and hormones, which stalled my puberty and affected my development. Now, at 23, I’m a gay man who has never experienced an orgasm—and I might never. Just think about that. I became anorgasmic because once you mention being trans, that’s it. No questions about ‘why’ are entertained, not even if you’re a struggling kid.”
A video captured Wiener making frantic gestures, running his fingers over his chin and mouth.
Skinner continued, “Dr. Marci Bowers, the former president of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, who performed surgeries on patients like Jazz Jennings at age 17, admitted on video that taking puberty blockers followed by cross-sex hormones results in no orgasms and undeveloped genitals.”
“SB 934 ensures more people will have experiences like mine. I could have avoided this had any of my therapists explored the root of my feelings—it would’ve spared me a lot of pain. Instead, they only led me to despise my body more. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that laws like this are unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. This bill is an attempt to silence therapists who might have helped people like me avoid irreversible damage to our bodies and loss of sexual function. So today, I ask you to show empathy towards survivors like me and vote ‘no’ on this bill.”
Despite Skinner’s testimony, the committee voted 7-1 to move the bill to appropriations, with some members absent. The only dissenting voice was Republican State Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares.
Wiener has consistently advocated for controversial medical policies regarding minors. In July 2022, he proposed a bill that significantly weakened parental rights, allowing, for example, a Texan mother about to lose custody of her child to travel to California, obtain a “gender dysphoria” diagnosis, and secure cross-sex hormones for her child, thereby regaining custody—even if a Texas court had ruled her unfit. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed that bill in September 2022.
Additionally, in 2020, Wiener authored legislation that relaxed sex offender registry requirements for individuals no more than ten years older than their underage victims.
