On Wednesday night, a swept the anti-trans bill appears dead in Kentucky as lawmakers debate whether to go too far. So it surprised Democrats, transgender activists, and their allies when Republicans were able to hold a committee vote, then rush the bill through approval in the state House and Senate the next day.
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is not expected to sign the bill, which is usually passed along party lines, into law, but the GOP has enough of a majority to overcome his veto.
The people in the gallery were enraged as the step passed and shouted, “You bastards!” in parliament on the floor, according to Courier Journal reporter Joe Sonka.
Democratic state Sen. Karen Berg, whose transgender son died by suicide in December, cried after the vote, Sonka reported. Berg had given powerful testimony when the bill was debated.
“[This bill] It is seen as the worst anti-LGBTQ law to come out of the country in this country,” he said said during the floor debate.
“This is really hateful to a small group of people who are the weakest and most vulnerable,” he added.
The bill that passed this week added one more Republicans in Kentucky were first introduced in February, which will have allowed students to misgender transgender students despite the detrimental impact it will have on trans youth.
At new version of the bill still allow trans students to be misgendered. But there’s more: It also bans gender-affirming treatments, such as puberty blockers or hormone therapy, for trans children and requires doctors to begin detransitioning trans patients as children. This mandated the school create a policy that does not allow trans students to use 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 sixth grade. After that, parental consent is required.
Last minute Kentucky GOP to pass the bill a bother national trend. Hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced this year alone in Republican-dominated states as part of a broader culture war against trans-Americans and a push for “parental rights” — a catchall term that focuses on the wishes of parents. conservative whites when it comes to policy making. in public schools.
Gender-affirming care for young children suitable and harmless, according to the American Medical Association. And the real mental health risks come with discrimination and widespread health care restrictions: Transgender youth are in greater risk for depression and death.
Instead of serving the most vulnerable among us, Berg said her lawmakers are ignoring the science of gender-affirming treatment for trans children and are just rushing through this bill for an excuse.
“My son came here 10 years ago,” she said said therereferring to him son 2015 testimony to the bathroom bill in the Kentucky statehouse. “You have time to understand science … this is hateful, deliberate, deliberate.”