ATLANTA — A new bill would prohibit Georgians under age 18 from receiving gender-changing hormone therapy or surgery.
“The state has a compelling interest to protect all young Georgians from harm,” said Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Gwinnett, the bill’s main sponsor. “Allowing Georgians who cannot legally vote, smoke, or purchase a firearm to make a high-stakes decision with irreparable consequences is dangerous and must be addressed immediately by the Georgia General Assembly.”
The eight-page bill includes a long list of procedures that would be barred, including gender-changing hormone therapy and surgical procedures.
The legislation includes some exceptions, including for people who are “born with a medically verifiable disorder of sex development” and for the treatment of “a physical disorder … injury … or illness that is certified by a physician.”
A physician who provides any of the services to a person under 18 would be considered to have committed “unprofessional conduct” and would be subject to discipline by their licensing board.
The bill would prevent school employees, including teachers and counselors, from “encourag[ing] or coerc[ing] a minor not to tell their parent or guardian that “the minor’s perception of his or her gender is inconsistent with his or her sex.” It would also prevent school employees themselves from keeping that information from parents.
Medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, support gender-change drugs or surgery for youth under age 18 when the physician and family deem it appropriate.
“There is strong consensus among the most prominent medical organizations worldwide that evidence-based, gender-affirming care for transgender children and adolescents is medically necessary and appropriate,” Dr. Moira Szilagyi, then president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, wrote last year. “It can even be lifesaving.”
The legislation drew immediate criticism.
“Our representatives should not be substituting their judgment for that of parents and families with regard to the most private and intimate of medical decisions,” said Peter Isbister, a leader of the group TransParent, a support organization for the families of transgender youth that represents 80 families from across Georgia.
“If passed, this legislation will cause untold anguish and suffering for our families,” Isbister added, noting families could be forced to leave the state if the bill passes. “It is not good for, and should be rejected by, our beloved state.”
One unintended consequence of the bill could be the prohibition of circumcision, said state Sen. Kim Jackson, D-Stone Mountain. That’s because the bill includes a provision that would prohibit the removal of “any healthy or nondiseased body part or tissue.”
Circumcision is a common practice and is required or strongly encouraged in some religions, including Judaism and Islam.
The state Senate will assign the bill to a committee as early as Feb. 13.
— This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
Here’s the text of that bill:
Having had conversations with multiple “de-transitioners”, I am fully supportive of banning sex-change surgeries and drugs for juveniles.
As one young girl, 18 years old, who has been the “transition” route, including a double mastectomy, testosterone that permanently altered her voice and appearance told me…”I was thirteen when the therapist told me I was probably ‘born in the wrong body’…and that’s why I was so upset about the changes that puberty was making in my body. I went online and found a lot of support for transitioning, people who claimed they knew just how I felt, I had encouragement from my teachers and school counselors, it was a fast track to transition.”
Years later, after her parents had been emotionally blackmailed into agreeing to surgically removing her breasts (Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter!), she saw another therapist, trying to discover why “transition” hadn’t helped her, why she was having dreams about being a mother and breastfeeding a baby she would never have, and THIS therapist actually spent time with her (as opposed to the first one who decided in about 15 minutes that she was “transgender”), and she finally realized that not liking pink, preferring boots, blue jeans and flannel shirts to frilly dresses and high heels, didn’t mean she was ‘born in the wrong body’, she just didn’t conform to female stereotypes. Too late…she will always bear the scars of the breast removal…and she is only ONE of the many “de-transitioners” who are finally getting the courage to tell their stories, which are totally heartbreaking.
Years from now, the world is going to look on this odd social contagion of “transitioning” children the way we now look on electroshock treatments and frontal lobotomies as “cures” for mental illness. The backlash has already started…and I’m hopeful that it will swiftly reverse the misogynist assault on women’s rights that is currently taking place across the country.
When women cannot say, “I don’t want to share a locker room with a male exposing his genitalia, even if he says ‘I am a woman’, I still don’t want him in here watching me shower and change clothes”, without a horde of screaming activists yelling at her that she is a “transphobe”; when lesbian groups are assaulted by transgender rights advocates claiming they are TERFS for refusing to date males; when women have to ignore their own feelings of discomfort at a male invading sex specific spaces meant for women, to keep from hurting “her” feelings; when rape victims have to tolerate their male rapist being referred to as “she” and “her” in court…we’ve lost all pretense at protecting women’s rights.
That’s just the risks we have to take to protect ourselves from the government not letting us teach fairy tales, have FoxNews on with children present, and other spooks in the bushes put forth by the Saint of Fiction.
Nobody has the God given right, with exception of parents and legal guardians to influence a minor’s sexual preference. With the assumption Section 1, Senate Bill 141, is accurate, I support Senate Bill 141. I do not support any action(s) one or more individuals, other than one’s parents or legal guardians, take to influence a subject minor’s sexual preference. That includes publicly available social media, government permitting of sexually oriented demonstrations, religious sponsored disenfranchisements or comdemnations, and publicly available news coverage of such actions. There are probably more actions I do not support, but I cannot think of them at the moment. Parents, legal guardians, clergy, teachers, judges, health care professionals, should be able to teach and educate a minor, of appropriate ages, about sexuality as a health science or medical necessity, but other than that, do not influence minors, directly or indirectly about their sexual preference. Keep it private, keep it off the streets, and keep it from the children.
Mr.Hardy, there’s no country for old men. It may help for you to look upon your elders and remember a scenario where you were on the other side of the threat of your rights being taken away. Until then, comfortably await until they come for your rights where there will be nobody left to stand up for you. “All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men do nothing.”
Obviously Stranger is a stranger to republican platforms.
Democrats have worked aggressively to undermine parental authority, they oppose school choice with lies of all kinds, they promote having schools keep patents in the dark about gender confusion their child is experiencing and have even written law to enable and enforce this, they favor children getting contraception and abortions without parental knowledge let alone comment, and of course there favor forcing children to get there covid vaccine without parental consent.
Democrats are no friend of parents.
This bill is aimed at stopping children from destroying their bodies before they have the maturity to make such a decision. It is common sense, a rare commodity these days.
It’s almost as if you don’t understand what teenagers are like. They were brutal “back in my day” if you were not like “the others” and they still are today. There is no scenario where someone will willingly change their gender and open themselves up to all the bullying that transitioning would entail if it wasn’t already destroying their mental health. We act like children are not their own people but animals that must be controlled because the parents say so. If we are going to force children to have children they don’t want by preventing access to basic healthcare like contraception, then we better start supporting these young parents. Only if there was some way to prevent a single bad decision from ruining someone’s life…
I honestly have no idea what made up world people exist in that makes them think this is a good idea. This is not a democrat vs. republican issue. This is an individual rights issue and last I checked the constitution did not have an age limit, but applies the moment you are born. There is no children that are destroying their body with gender affirming care, but I do personally know one that KILLED THEMSELVES because they were denied it. Let’s not forget the tragic loss of life of those young adults and teenagers who take their own life because their family’s regret who they are as a person.
Annoyed – The transgenderism cult is a social rot and mental health issue, not a physical medical one.
Children’s brains are not fully developed, and they are shaped by people they trust, like teachers, and by social media. Trans folks falsely promise acceptance and inner peace, if only you become something you weren’t created to be.
If transsexual is a natural part of being human, why was this not also a “thing” 20, 50, 100 years (forever) ago?
Would it help someone suffering from anorexia by agreeing that they are, in reality, excessively overweight? Of course not, yet here you are recommending we tell boys they can become a girl.
Parents must be in control of their children as loving stewards of their offspring. Often this means saying no, setting boundaries and using consequences to raise well-adjusted, productive citizens.
Don’t be a cheerleader for this destructive social and mental issue. Leave the kids alone.
Agreed, 2 cents. Why in the world would we normalize mental disorders. And make no mistake – gender dysphoria is indeed that – a mental disorder, brought on by cultural rot, just as you say, and the prevalence of these ridiculous ideas being normalized and glorified via pop culture and social media.
There’s also no studies that show lower suicide rates among post-trans teens vs pre-surgery teens. Outward acceptance of this disorder can’t be forced or legislated, and even if it could, it would not solve the problem of high suicide rates among trans youth.
No one is suggesting to legislate acceptance. That will come with time, as those with hate in their heart die of old age. I’ve travelled a bit, even before social media was a thing that people cared about. You know what I saw? Trans folks living their life in peace in countries where they are accepted for who they are.
The irrational hate for this community is the real outcome of social media and pop culture. If leading news organizations were not beating this stupid drum of “trans people = bad” then who would care? No one. You’d be mouthing off in the comments about whatever dumb thing they want you to be preoccupied with while the new age robber baron’s continue to make billions by abusing the working class’ labor.
Just let people live their life. If you want to control what your child does in every aspect of their life until they move out, that is your choice as a parent. Just don’t be surprised when that child blocks your number and never talks to your again when they are adults.
“Transgenderism cult” – oh boy. I’ll just skip that, there is no evidence to suggest anything of the such is Just because a brain is not fully developed does not mean a child is incapable of understandings aspects of their own body and the world around them. Guess we should stop 16 year olds from driving? My point stands – no teenager is going to transition just because there is some trans person on a youtube they watch.
Being trans isn’t a “thing” in some cultures, it’s just accepted and always has been. Just because we don’t know every species at the bottom of the ocean doesn’t mean they aren’t there. We didn’t know the earth rotated around the sun for thousands of years, does that mean it wasn’t happening? Of course not! Imagine if leaving your house dressed the way you feel most comfortable meant you would get assaulted or murdered at a much higher rate than the general population…would you hide your true self to protect your own life? Most trans people did (in the US) up until recent memory. I know and have visited a country where trans are fully accepted as they are and you know what? That place has the nicest, most thoughtful people of almost anywhere I have ever been. They take better care of each other, their elderly and their own children AND trans people can live in peace. Maybe you have heard of it – Thailand?
6-30% of people regret knee surgery – and they are “full brain” adults. Guess we need to ban knee surgerys. The rate at which people regret transitioning (with surgery)? Less than 1%.
“Parents must be in control of their children” HAH!!! That is hilarious. Wow, you really do live in another world. Every child I knew when I was younger – and my friends children now that I’d older – with a strict parent was always the worst kid, getting into more trouble than anyone else. Eventually your child is going to grow up and not be under your thumb, so the idea that you can prevent them from doing ANYTHING is foolhardy. You might delay, but then you just end up with a college freshman who gets arrested for DUI, in the hospital for alcohol poisoning, or worse.
You can raise a child to be a good person without filling them with self hate and inheriting your own biases against people that are not like yourself. We struggle with that in Georgia, but it is possible. Maybe if you met a trans person and heard their own story you would be more empathetic about their plight, but I guess you are more educated than medical doctors on what the human brain and body is capable of doing.
Annoyed – you write a lot without saying much. Let me help you.
Control of children, as in the opposite of out of control. Love, values, respect of others, guidelines, boundaries, faith, principles, discipline, teaching by example, etc – – all tools in a parent’s toolbox.
And living in truth, which is where the whole trans thing falls apart. A boy cannot be a girl, and vice versa. Adults owe that truth to kids, not enabling life-altering drugs and surgery.
Your assumption that most people are motivated by hate is false. Most people want to live their lives, without the constant upending of truth and social norms, and then being told how racist, sexist, homophobic – – whatever – – they are.
Leave the kids alone.
OK 2 Cents – Let’s follow your argument to its logical conclusions. If a legislative body determines that your belief in a 6 day creation, a universal flood, and a man surviving a whale swallowing is patently untrue, you can believe these myths all you want, but you can be forbidden to relate these untruths to your minor children. After all, the government always knows what is best for those who have yet to reach majority. Your truth criteria is in the eye of the beholder. You cannot prove that the sun stood still at Joshua’s bidding any more than you can prove that transgenderism is not a real sexual identity reality.
Government interference in parental decisions for their own children is a treacherously slippery slope that conservatives, of all people, should know better than pursue.
Citizen Al – So your argument is that democrats passed many laws that hinder parental control of their children, so now republicans should get even by doing the same thing. The old Exodus 21:24 argument.
I suppose that you will be satisfied when everyone is blind.
Stranger – Your anti-Christian rant is neither logical nor realistic. Please stay on task.
In general, government should not involve itself in the lives of its citizens. However, there are proper roles for government, and protecting innocent children from abusive groomers and predators is one of them.
It’s really basic. Don’t sexualize and trans children. Leave the kids alone.
Actually, my argument is logical and quite realistic. Your initial illogical step is conflating child abusers and predators with parents who care for their children merely because you don’t agree with their reasoning.
The second step into the abyss is sanctioning government to interfere with parental decisions that you don’t like without recognizing that these tables can be turned onto parents whom you might agree with merely by the whims of legislators.
Your third illogical argument is that the government can intervene when a parent is deemed to be untruthful. I merely used the biblical argument to demonstrate how difficult something that might seem so true to one person can easily be viewed a poppycock by another.
Beware of allowing the government to interfere with parenting decisions for their children. If legal interference is necessary, it should be determined on a child by child basis in a court, not by pompous legislators trying to score political points.
It is child abuse to enable your child to have healthy body parts removed and injections of puberty blockers to become something he or she can never really be.
Government is the last resort, but must step in to protect kids when adults can’t or won’t. Some parents would allow a child to smoke, drink alcohol, shoot up drugs and get a tattoo, but we don’t allow those as a society.
And those are far less life-changing and permanent than going trans.
There is no argument: truth is that boys are boys and girls are girls. Surgery and hormone injections won’t change that. Pretend with the trans if you want, but don’t expect us to go along with you.
Protect children from the groomers who sexualize kids, keep men out of girls bathrooms and sports, and certainly support a law that recognizes trans surgery and puberty-blockers are at least as harmful to children as smoking, booze, drugs and tattoos.
If you can’t do that, you must be part of the problem.
Have it your way 2¢. I’m sure that you will not complain when the legislative team changes and makes it illegal for parents to teach their children fairy tales, prohibits children from living in houses that have a gun, limits families to a single child, etc.
Like you say, the government always knows much better than parents what is best for their children. What could go wrong when the government is calling the shots?
The GOP has come a long way from Ronald Reagan who said the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”
Why do we prohibit minors from getting tatoos? Why do we prevent minors from drinking / smoking?
Preventing known and foreseeable harm to children should be something all adults agree upon. Transgenderism aimed at kids and teens is a serious social, medical and psychological malpractice that must end.
Pumping children full of puberty blockers and performing double mastectomies on healthy young girls is not reversible, nor is it “affirming health care”. These leave permanent effects on the brain, bones and other parts of the body.
Even European countries are backing off such radical life-changing acts on vulnerable youth. Yet a segment of our population, social media and shockingly even our president, continue to cheer on those who pressure and enable children to go down this path.
This is another symptom of the serious progressive social rot in our country. Leave the kids alone.
In some states the teacher unions have become the new home for pedophiles, child rapist, communist. anarchist, and pathological individuals all masquerading in plain site as “educators.”
I say we need legislation and laws to harshly deal with those who harm our children in school.
Mr. Hardy – We already have plenty of laws that deal harshly with child abusers. Teachers’ unions are no more complicit in sexual abuse than are the Southern Baptist Convention or the Catholic Church. A small number of people in power can always be counted upon to exploit others with it. Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of clergy and educators are upstanding people who genuinely wish to help others. Showboat legislative actions like that described in this article are advanced to promote legislators’ prominence much more than to protect any children. When the government takes rights away from parents and assumes them for itself, the slope is slippery indeed for all kinds of havoc to transpire.
Aw’ Stranger than Fiction you don’t have to “out me” with my real last name by the nicety of calling me “Mr. Hardy”, I’m just an old man, slightly inbred. the grandson of sharecroppers.
I’m pretty binary in my opinions about people who abuse power, too.
By the way what is your last name?
Hi Vic – You can call me Rodin.
Hum…”Rodin”…like “rodin’ on a horse”? Just kidding…I can’t say that it rings a bell with me.
My thought was Rodin – as in the sculptor of the classic art piece “The Thinker.” But then your guess Vics for “rodin’ on a horse.” That is funny on both sides of the comment. As for Citizen Al (above) and his so-called republican platforms and … that the democrats are no friend of parents, now he’s funny too.
Hey Doon…I’m just trying to figure out “Strangers” last name since he knows mine…I guess he may have known me in my productive years.
Vic – You wrote a letter to the Editor last March and answered comments with your handle. Perhaps we’ve met, but I can’t place your face.
Duh! Early Dementia.
I totally forgot that I used the full name, that explains it. I’m actually fairly friendly in person. Thanks “Stranger”.
Democrats prefer for the woke parents of immature children to allow mutilation early and often…that is why the teacher unions are involved in the process. They hope to groom and capture the child early enough to subjugate them to a socialistic way of life as $15 an hour mutant working at McDonalds and dependent on the government for life.
Hallejulah for this common-sense bill, maybe it will at least stop kids from making these ill-advised decisions and from mutilating their bodies.
I’m no fan of adolescent transgender interventions, but I do bristle at governmental interference in parental decisions. Transgender adolescents comprise a less than 2% cohort, so this is a very small sample. It is a slippery slope when government begins intervening in the decisions parents make for their children. Conservatives should be the most outspoken to prevent government interventions into family matters. The current G.O.P. has ventured a long way from President Reagan.
With Republicans in the minority in America at large and losing the popular vote in every presidential election since 1992 (save 2004 barely), inviting legislative interference in personal matters will set precedents that will surely come back to bite them. Be very careful.