New Texas Legislation Regarding Transgender Rights
Texas House and Senate Create Anti-Trans Bills.
April 30, 2021
Recently, Texas Legislature introduced four anti-trans bills, that seek to remove care for transgender children, their parents, and even doctors who provide science-backed, gender-affirming care. These bills are SB 1311, SB 1646, HB 1399, and HB 1424. A person must be 16 years old minimum and have parental consent to undergo gender reassignment surgery. And some of the medicines on the banned list, such as puberty blockers are 100% proven to be reversible.
Senate bill 1311. ‘Relating to the provision of and professional liability insurance coverage for gender transitioning or gender reassignment medical procedures and treatments for certain children.’
“This bill is being made specifically with the intention of lessening the medical help and coverage trans-children would need in order to transition,” Paige Isaacks (10) said. “All you’re doing is making already discouraged people more discouraged. This isn’t an attempt to help anyone, it’s an attempt to make trans-children’s lives even more difficult. You’re not “thinking of the children” by making their lives even harder and treatment more expensive.”
The next bill, senate bill 1646, takes things even further and attacks loving, caring parents. “Relating to the protection of children, including the definition of child abuse…” Basically defining caring for a trans child as ‘abuse’. Even those opposed are more worried about the implications of politics in school, than the bill itself.
“I thought we were supposed to keep politics out of school,” Alexandria McGimsey (10) said. “What’s up with that bestie?”
The next one, house bill 1399, is almost exactly the same as senate bill 1311. It’s looking to take away medical licenses for doctors who perform gender-affirming care for people. Being similar in content, people’s thoughts on it appear to be the same.
“I don’t like it at all. I think it is so dumb that doctors aren’t letting people who feel unhappy feel happier,” Kacie Endsley (9) said. “Even hormone blockers can help tremendously in a transgender person’s mental health. Those hormone blockers will not do any permanent damage at all, they can be reversed at any time so I think it is so dumb that they are prohibiting these helpful things.”
The last bill, House Bill 1424 is ”Relating to a health care provider’s right to object to participation in a medical procedure that violates the provider’s ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.”
“In some circumstances, objection would be okay, but it is their legal right to treat all patients with the same respect,” Gracen McKay (11) said.
Jose mancera • Apr 30, 2021 at 3:49 pm
This not an attempt to discourage members of the lgbtq+ community, these bill makes it to where only people who mentally mature and mentally ready to make a big decision such as transitioning. Kids can have a hard time choosing things such a what candy they want, what makes you think they can make a decision choosing wether they are a boy or girl!! These bills are being passed for a reason.
AceOfSpades • Mar 21, 2022 at 3:38 pm
No. Have you experienced what it’s like to have your own rights restricted under law? Are these children becoming their true selves harming you in any way?