On Wednesday, Texas became the latest state to vote to end the barbaric practice of allowing children to receive irreversible gender-change medical procedures. The passage of SB 14 will put an end to children receiving puberty blockers or hormone treatments, as well as mastectomies for girls and so-called “bottom” surgery, which includes castration and vasectomy for boys and hysterectomy for girls.
The final version of the bill includes a limited exemption for children already undergoing such therapies by allowing them to be “weaned off” of treatment in a “medically appropriate” way. An earlier version of the bill had called for a more abrupt end to the procedures.
Even prior to the legislation, Texas was taking steps to protect children from transgender butchery. In February of last year, Governor Greg Abbott issued a directive to the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services that they were to investigate cases of child “sex change” procedures, calling them “abusive.” Courts later invalidated that directive.
Now, should Abbott sign SB 14 as expected, those procedures will be not just investigated, but outlawed in the Lone Star State. Assuming Abbott signs it, the law is scheduled to take effect on September 1.
“We are the Legislature — our job is to protect people,” said Republican Senator Bob Hall. “We protect children against lots of things. We don’t let them smoke. We don’t let them drink. We don’t let them buy lottery cards.… And so we are doing the right thing.”
Democratic Representative Shawn Thierry joined the GOP in voting for the bill, saying that “as a thoughtful legislator, mother, woman of faith and child advocate,” she was “making a decision to place the safety and well being of all young people over the comfort of political expediency.”
Previously, Thierry explained her position in a letter to constituents.
“After hearing from constituents, listening to stakeholders, and reviewing the scientific data in this country and around the globe, I am assured that this position is rooted in sound policy which supports the health, development, and overall well-being of minors,” Thierry wrote.
The Houston-area Democrat claims that the discussion regarding transgenderism has become quite unpleasant.
“Sadly, the discussion has become polarized and politicized. In fact, while many of my constituents encouraged me to vote in favor of this legislation, hostile activists on social media platforms have made nasty political threats to influence my vote against this bill,” Thierry wrote. “These personal, and even racist, attacks on me as an African American woman are neither productive nor persuasive.”
Despite the obvious anger from party peers, three other Democrats — Abel Herrero, Tracy King, and Harold Dutton — joined Thierry in voting for SB 14.
While at least 14 other states have enacted similar legislation protecting children from destructive transgender ideology, the new Texas law would represent the largest state to take such action to shield children from the most deleterious effects of transgenderism.
LGBT advocates claim that Texas has one of the largest transgender populations in the country, including some 30,000 youth between the ages of 13 and 17.
And, as usual, LGBT advocates in the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) promise a bitter legal battle over the new law.
“Texas Senate Bill 14 bans the only evidence-based care for gender dysphoria for transgender people under 18 and aims to strip doctors of their medical licenses for providing their patients with the care they know to be medically necessary,” read a press release from the ACLU in concert with Lambda Legal and the Transgender Law Center.
The ACLU and others claimed that the Texas Legislature was “hellbent on joining the growing roster of states determined to jeopardize the health and lives of transgender youth, in direct opposition to the overwhelming body of scientific and medical evidence supporting this care as appropriate and necessary.”
The claim that these treatments are “medically necessary” is absolutely ludicrous, as is the assertion that the sometimes body-mutilating procedures are “life saving.” More correctly, these treatments are risky, mainly cosmetic, and completely unnecessary. These gratuitous and expensive procedures will still be available should those affected by gender dysphoria still want them after the age of 18.
