Time before the state Senate passed legislation banning transgender children from using restrooms and playing sports in accordance with their gender identity and a number of other conventional priorities, trans Georgians and supporters gathered in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday to celebrate the next monthly trans liberation day at the state Capitol.
” There’s this tale out there that there are no trans children and that it’s something that people choose to be after”, said Kalie Hargrove, a priest and transgender woman. ” It’s a complete misconception. Trans boys exist. I know because I was one, when I was going through puberty, I did n’t even live in a place where I had the language to explain my experience, what I was feeling”.
After dozens of people gathered inside the Capitol on stone steps with signs saying “vote no on HB 1104” or lgbt pride flags in red, orange, and white, Hargrove spoke with the Record.
Monica Helms, the designer of the classic trans pride flag in 1999, a year before moving to Atlanta, was honored by many Democratic and LGBTQ politicians in the House. Helms ‘ family, Darlene Wagner, accepted a version of the quality in her honor.
However, a large portion of the occasion was ruined by a pending Senate ballot.
” The life of being transgender in the world today, it means going against so much in our internet, so much in our elections that just wants to tell us that we should n’t exist, that we’re some type of mental illness, we are some type of groomer or pedophile”, Hargrove said..
Soon after that, Senate Bill 1104, a bill that was intended to promote student athletes ‘ mental health, was amended to include transgender education before sixth grade and charge school districts with developing guidelines to alert parents when their children access books from the library.
The bill was touted by liberals as a significant addition to Georgia female ‘ protection.
The traditional Frontline Policy Action lobbying group’s leader, Cole Muzio, said,” Georgians overwhelmingly support saving women ‘ activities, protecting the privacy of our sons in bedrooms and changing rooms, and preserving the innocence of our children.” ” Hyperbolic remarks and political speech did not detract from the simple fact that this is something our people both want and deserve.”
Crawford stated that he is no longer able to back his own act.
” The policy that I drafted was meant to help student players, meant to help kids”, he said. And it would do the exact same with a lot of the rules that were made. But in a very sad, humorous sense, my act was to prevent suicide. I do n’t think that this bill does that now”.
According to the American Psychological Association, costs and rules targeting trans children have resulted in “heightened levels of anxiety, sadness, and death risk among the transgender society”.
Sen. Clint Dixon, a Gwinnett Republican, the head of the Senate Education and Youth Committee, expressed concern for the emotional health of female runners who lose to their transgender competitors.
” Yeah, no, I disagree with that”, he said. ” I mean, what about girls? We must respect the dignity of women who play their activities. If men want to play athletics, they need to execute it with males”.
Jennifer Hadley, the mother of a trans boy who attends Bethlehem, said she is trying to figure out what the bill’s implications will be for her son, who is a member of the school going group. She claimed she is unsure of what will happen if a player needs to change into his uniform to play at a soccer match away from home.
” I have not been able to get an answer from the lawmakers that I’ve spoken with,” she said. We have n’t received any forthcoming details about their potential effects. And that’s intimidating”.
” He feels targeted and picked on because they’re currently trying to figure out how to make it all work, they being the school and the classmates, the teachers, the lawyers now. And my girl’s trying to figure out how to develop up”, she said. ” And to just have these layers makes it difficult. I think children are very tenacious, and I feel like my father’s doing a better job than I am”.
For a clause of the act that requires school districts to taking public comments for at least 45 times before approving sex ed curriculum, Atlanta Democrat Sen. Elena Parent characterized Dixon as dishonest.
” Well, this bill popped up in committee with no notice, no 45 days, no opportunity for review, no opportunity for public input, and it was n’t even online by the time we were voting on it”, she said. So I find it hard to believe that no one in this chamber thinks it is ridiculous that we are active mandating these things for state school boards while acting the completely opposite way. It betrays apathy for citizens to act in such a way. It demonstrates a lack of concern for the tasks that we should be attempting to complete the vetting of laws.
The House might now be able to return the bill in time for Thursday, the last day of the parliamentary program.
Tracee McDaniel Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder
Crawford stated soon after the Senate vote that he was unsure of what the House would perform.
” I’m hoping that it’s something that we do n’t take up on the floor”, he said. ” You know, I do n’t know. I do n’t know. At this point, I’m only trying to figure it all out”.
A separate bill that was added to regulations that would place opioid reversals in government buildings may be considered by the Senate.
However, the House moved forward with a bill that contains the narcotic turnaround speech without the adolescence blocker ban, which could indicate that the House does not intend to pass the bill.
Atlanta transgender advocate Tracee McDaniel told a group on the Capitol ways that the trans community would be vocal at the ballot box and would continue to exert pressure on lawmakers.
” When it comes down to it, if the legislation does n’t include transgender non- conforming, non- binary people, then it does n’t matter, because we matter”, she said. ” We’re resilient. We’re not going somewhere. I’m wearing my fatigues now, sweet, and I’m ready to fight. I’m prepared to appear and appear empty-handed. But always remember, no matter what anyone tell you, human right are transgender rights, transgender rights are human rights”.
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