By Natalie Hanson | ChicoSol
Across the United States, fervor for passing anti-trans laws has reached an all-time high within the political right -– affecting even counties in politically “blue” states, such as Butte.
n some states, health care providers already face felony charges for offering gender-affirming care. Advocates for the trans community say such care is integral for a successful transition.
More bills targeting transgender rights have been introduced and become law this year than at any time in U.S. history. There have been 543 anti-trans bills proposed nationwide in 2023 alone, according to the website Trans Legislation Tracker. Of these, 71 have passed.
Even in California, Republican lawmakers have joined in launching attacks on the rights of LGBTQ youth. Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) -– who represents nearly all of interior Northern California, including Chico, Redding and Susanville in the House of Representatives -– has been pushing bills seeking to limit health care funding for, and criminalizing, gender reassignment surgery since 2020.
In March LaMalfa introduced what he called a “parental rights” bill inspired by a lawsuit against Chico’s school district. He then gave a press conference on the steps of the Chico Unified School District offices. HR 1585 seeks to “implement a state policy to prohibit a school employee from conducting certain social gender transition interventions.” The bill is currently in the House’s Education and the Workforce committee.
LaMalfa on May 17 announced the introduction of two more bills attacking gender-affirming health care for children, the Protecting Children from Experimentation Act and the End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act, which are endorsed by conservative groups like the Anti-Woke Caucus, Family Caucus and Protect Kids Caucus.
Meanwhile, only about 0.6% of Americans 13 years and older identify as trans.
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