Multiple Anti-Trans Bills Introduced on First Day of Legislative Session in West Virginia
Six anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced today
On the first day of the West Virginia Legislative Session, we saw six anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced between the House and Senate. Out of the six bills introduced, the most concerning are SB 194 - SB 197, all introduced by Senator Mike Azinger.
SB 194, titled the “Health and Natural Development Protection Act,” seeks to prohibit gender affirming care for trans youth and adults up to the age of 21. The bill also mandates mental healthcare providers to actively attempt to "cure" being trans and prohibits these providers from "continuing the delusion" of being transgender.
Again, this health care is safe, it’s effective, it’s been rigorously studied, it has been in use safely for trans and cisgender youth for decades. That’s why this health care and the rights of transgender people of all ages to access it have the support of nearly every major medical association. Substantial research demonstrates that transgender youth who receive gender affirming healthcare to address their gender dysphoria experience reduced levels of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, while also enjoying an improved quality of life.
While this bill was introduced and assigned to the Senate’s Health and Human Resources committee, it has not been taken up on the Senate floor at this time.
SB 195 presents itself as a drag ban, but it becomes clear that its true aim is to prohibit the public presence of trans folks. The language used in this bill categorizes anything related to trans individuals as "obscene material" and could lead to a felony charge. In addition, any person to “display” a trans person would be guilty of a felony, too.
This bill was introduced and assigned to the Senate’s Health and Human Resources committee, it has not been taken up on the Senate floor at this time.
SB 197 is yet another horrific bill introduced. In addition to charging trans people with a felony if they are within 2500ft of a school, this bill would also force schools to report trans parents to the government. This would criminalize trans people for simply existing.
It's crucial to emphasize that although these bills pose a significant threat and could profoundly impact the trans community in West Virginia, it's not time to panic. The intent of these messages isn't to instill fear, but rather to inform and educate both our community and allies. Instead of succumbing to fear, it's pivotal to mobilize within our communities and gear up to oppose such discriminatory legislation against transgender individuals.
Again, I'll be maintaining a 2024 West Virginia Bill Tracker and Representative Finder spreadsheet, updating it daily. Additionally, I'll be creating TikTok and Instagram videos, along with updating my Substack and Twitter, to dissect the introduced bills and expand upon their potential impacts on our community.
In the meantime, please consider subscribing to my Substack and sharing my work on social media. As always, folks are welcome to directly contact me should you have any questions or concerns, or if you are in need of resources.
Stay safe, friends!