Topline

A bill in the Louisiana Senate that would have put new restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors has been deferred after facing monumental backlash from transgender people and advocates, in a major victory for trans rights in a deeply red state, as GOP legislatures push anti-trans bills around the country.

Key Facts

The bill, brought by state Sen. Mike Fesi, would have prohibited gender-affirming care and mental health services for youth unless there was written consent from both parents.

Critics slammed the bill, arguing it was especially problematic in cases where a minor does not have a relationship with both parents.

Four hundred people submitted cards to the Louisiana Senate Health and Welfare Committee to oppose the bill; not a single card was submitted in support.

Fesi was the only voice to speak in favor of the bill, while doctors, advocates and transgender people all testified against the bill, which Fesi ultimately decided to shelve.

Surprising Fact

Louisiana is not the only red state where an anti-trans bill hasn’t made it very far. Efforts in South Carolina and Florida have also failed over the past several days.

Key Background

Republican legislatures across the country have taken up unprecedented efforts to pass restrictions on transgender people. Some have already been successful, in states like Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, where bans on transgender participation in school sports have been signed into law, requiring trans youth to play by the gender assigned on their birth certificate. The GOP movement seemed to have been spurred by an executive order President Joe Biden signed on his first day in office called “Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation.” The order extends existing protections for transgender Americans in employment law to areas of government oversight, such as schools—but it didn’t directly issue any guidelines for transgender participation in activities like school sports.

What To Watch For

The Human Rights Campaign expects 2021 will soon become a record-breaking year when it comes to new anti-LGBTQ laws. At least 115 anti-trans bills have been introduced across 30 states, according to the Human Rights Campaign, which is the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the United States.

Tangent

The National Collegiate Athletic Association has pledged to pull championship events from states that enact anti-trans laws. That would have had a big impact on Louisiana, since New Orleans is a regular site for major championship sporting events.

Further Reading

Senator pulls bill that would have imposed health care restrictions for transgender youth (Louisiana Illuminator)

2021 Will Become Record-Breaking Year For Anti-LGBTQ Laws, Advocacy Group Warns (Forbes)

Mississippi Gov. Signs Transgender Sports Ban Into Law—South Dakota, Tennessee May Soon Follow (Forbes)