This week read about Texas filing a lawsuit over policies that protect trans people, and South Dakota lawmakers passing a bill that bans "divisive concepts."
Texas Files Lawsuit Against Federal Government
The State Attorney General Ken Paxton recently issued an order that labels gender-affirming care for minors as “child abuse,” prompting investigations into families that provide this care. Gender-affirming care includes hormone treatments and puberty blockers — surgery for minors is extremely rare.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued guidance saying that healthcare providers who refuse to treat patients seeking gender-affirming care and report these families to authorities could be violating federal law. CNN reports that the guidance also says that families who are denied care can file a report with the Office for Civil Rights.
Paxton is now suing the Biden administration because of the guidance since it conflicts with his own legal opinion. His court filing says that protecting transgender care for minors is an “erroneous interpretation of federal law.”
“It is time for the Biden administration to quit forcing their political agenda,” Paxton said.
Texas is adding this complaint to an existing lawsuit requesting they be exempt from the federal law that says employers must let employees use bathrooms and dress in accordance with their gender identity.
Lawmakers Pass Bill Banning ‘Divisive Concepts’
Photo via PxHere.
The state's House of Representatives and Senate approved HB 1012 which bans “divisive concepts” from being taught in-state colleges and universities. Now Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, who wrote the bill, will be able to sign off on it.
It initially was written to target critical race theory, according to The Advocate, but broadened to “divisive concepts.” These concepts include, “that an individual, by virtue of their race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously.”
It also includes subjects that teach “that individuals, by virtue of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin.”
The Human Rights Campaign called it a “curriculum censorship bill.”
“Students should be taught an honest and accurate history of our nation, including the good and the bad,” the HRC wrote in a statement.
Not only was she the writer of the initial bill, but Noem was also the first governor to pass an anti-trans sports bill this year.
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