Race to the Bottom

Look, we all know that Texas and Florida, led by the Trumpist, right-wing, bigots that comprise their legislatures and governors, are fighting hard to be the new Mississippi and Alabama, passing legislation to proactively harm people of color, LGBTQ persons, women, and other people they hate - stripping them of rights and removing the protection of the law. No big surprise, they're also targeting vulnerable children.

Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued a new interpretation of state law that says medical care for transgender children is abuse, a dramatic change contrary to medical standards that could make Texas one of the most aggressive states in targeting trans youth access to health care.

On Monday, Paxton issued an opinion stating his office believes gender-affirming health care for transgender youth – including common treatments like hormone therapy and puberty blockers – is a form of child abuse. The move comes despite opposition from the top medical and child welfare groups, who for months have urged Paxton not to take this step. Link

This is just vile, targeting children to score political points with the MAGA base, against all medical and psychiatric advice on how transgender youth should (and by rights out to be) treated. There is no honorable, reasoned justification for this, it's just hate.

Florida has its own ideas.

Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which is scheduled for a floor vote in the Florida House today, would create a hostile environment for LGBTQ students. The bill prohibits any discussion of “sexual orientation or gender identity” through the third grade and any discussion “that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students” in other grades. This would prohibit younger students with same-sex parents from discussing their families in class and make it difficult for any student to learn about the Stonewall Riots or Supreme Court cases like Obergefell v. Hodges.

The bill, as it is currently drafted, also requires schools to out LGBTQ students to their parents in most cases. The bill would require schools to “adopt procedures for notifying a student’s parent if there is a change in the student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student.” This would include information school officials learn, through counseling or other programs, about sexual orientation or gender identity.  Link

Not only would this bill prohibit children of same-sex families from discussing their family in class, creating the perception of "normal, approved" families that could be discussed and thus isolating children with non-traditional families, but it requires outing at-risk children, even if they live in a household that would abuse or neglect them or throw them into the street. It's despicable and  completely unnecessary except to rile their hate-filled base.

Have no doubt. Both of these bills will cost lives and increase misery among children who look to adults to protect them. 

This is what you get when you elect Republicans.