Until Wednesday evening, a bill to eliminate anti-trans was found dead in Kentucky as lawmakers debated whether he went too far. So it surprised Democrats, transgender activists and their allies when Republicans managed to hold a vote in committee, then send the bill to both the House and Senate the next day.
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is not expected to sign the bill, which was passed largely along party lines, into law, but the GOP has enough of a majority to override his veto.
People in the gallery became furious when the measure passed and shouted: “You’re all shit!” parliamentarians in the room, according to Courier Journal reporter Joe Sonka.
Democratic state Sen. Karen Berg, whose transgender son committed suicide in December, cried after the vote, Sonka said. Berg gave powerful testimony while the bill was being debated.
“[This bill] it is seen as the worst anti-LGBTQ legislation passed by a state in this country,” he said. he said during a debate.
“It is absolutely intentional hatred for a small group of people who are the weakest and most vulnerable,” he added.
The bill that passed this week expanded on one that Kentucky Republicans came forward for the first time in February, which would have allowed students to profile transgender students, despite the negative impact it would have on trans youth.
THE the new version of the invoice still allows trans students to be wrong. But it goes much further: It also bans gender-affirming treatments, such as puberty blockers or hormone therapy, for trans children and requires doctors to initiate the detransition of all their trans patients who are children. It requires schools to create policies that prevent trans students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity. It does not allow educators to discuss sexual orientation or gender identity in any classroom and prohibits discussion of human sexuality until the sixth grade. After that, parental consent is required.
It follows the Kentucky GOP’s last-minute attempt to get the bill through a creepy one national trend. Hundreds of anti-LGBTQ laws have been introduced in Republican-dominated states this year alone as part of the broader culture war against trans Americans and the push for “parents’ rights” — a catchy term that focuses on the desires of white parents, then conservatives when doing politics. in public schools.
Caring for the gender-affirming child is appropriate and not dangerous, according to the American Medical Association. And the real risks to mental health come from widespread discrimination and health barriers: there are transgender youth. high risk of depression and suicide.
Instead of serving the most vulnerable among us, Berg said his fellow lawmakers ignored the science behind gender-affirming care for transgender children and rushed this bill for one reason only.
“My son came here 10 years ago,” she said Thursdayreferring to her the testimony of the son of the year 2015 against a bathroom bill in the state of Kentucky. “You had time to understand the science…this is absolute, willful and willful hatred.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 or 1-800-273-8255 at National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also get SMS support by visiting suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat. Outside the US please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.
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