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Texas lawmakers have so far filed more than 90 pieces of anti-LGBTQ legislation in the 2023 legislative session, with many of the bills targeting trans youth access to gender-affirming care, .
Both Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton targeted trans youth and their families last year after similar bills failed to pass in the 2021 legislative session. The Texas Department of Family and Protective services has been investigating parents providing gender-affirming care to their children, prompting some families to leave the state.
Andrea Segovia, , said all these bills share the same underlying idea.
鈥淲hat you see as the theme of these bills is the erasure of trans people from the public eye, from existence,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is that dire of a space that we鈥檙e in.鈥�
She鈥檚 been monitoring similar bills in other states, like and , as a predictor of what could happen in Texas.
But it鈥檚 still early in the session, and she says many of these bills were defeated in 2021. Of the more than 70 anti-LGBTQ bills filed in 2021, only , which banned trans students from competing in sports that aligned with their gender identity, was passed into law.
Similar bills this year, including , HB 262, and SB 1082, would ban trans youth from even participating in sports in school, and extend that ban to college.
鈥淲e need as many allies as we can to fight back alongside trans people, and say we鈥檙e not going to stand for this,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 our state. This isn鈥檛 who we are. This isn鈥檛 what we believe.鈥�
TENT and other groups will gather at the capitol Wednesday in support of LGBTQ Texans, and to speak with lawmakers face-to-face about the potential impact of the legislation. The Trans Advocacy Day includes a training session in the morning, and a rally later in the afternoon.
Rachel Hill, , said that鈥檚 how change happens.
鈥淭rans Texans are Texans, too,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing scary about them. It鈥檚 important for lawmakers to look people in the eye and remember that.鈥�
Hill said she understands that seeing the sheer number of bills targeting all aspects of LGBTQ+ life can be overwhelming, but encourages trans people and allies to not lose hope.
鈥淭he fear is the point,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 to scare us into submission. And as long as you are fighting, and as long as you are still seeking out your truth, that鈥檚 what winning is right now: not being silenced.鈥�
Email erivera@kera.org with questions and tips. You can follow Elena on Twitter鈥�.
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