Yet another anti trans bill was killed in Montana, this time thanks to 17 Republicans switching to help
Another win in Montana.
In another astounding switch in Montana, 17 Republicans (yes, you heard me correctly) helped kill SB164, a bill that would accuse trans parents of child endangerment.
I don’t see how helping save your trans child’s life could be considered as child endangerment, but hey, I’m not a legislator, what the hell do I know?
Lets dive in.
The bill overall sets the grounds for what would be considered child endangerment in the state, with them saying for parents who give their child gender affirming care:
Jesus fucking Christ. I honestly fail to see how this is going “protect children” (which I know it wont), since it has been shouted from the rooftops by every major medicinal org in the States that gender affirming care works.
I have done this multiple times, and will continue to do so, since its obvious that the message isn’t getting through. Oh wait. I forgot.
The wanton cruelty is the point.
The Red Nazi fucks have probably been shown that gender affirming care works, they just purposefully forget about that because they’re that bigoted.
A study from the NIH, all the major health orgs like the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association, The Red Nazi’s just ignore that.
To them, that’s not “real science”. Not only is it not real, it also would rob them of their ability to hateful assholes.
They outline the punishment for this “child endangerment” as:
A person convicted under subsection (3) or (4) is guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 5 years and may be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000, or both. If a child suffers serious bodily injury, the offender shall be fined an amount not to exceed $25,000 or be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 10 years, or both. Prosecution or conviction of a violation of subsection (3) or (4) does not bar prosecution or conviction for any other crime committed by the offender as part of the same conduct.
You’re giving a five year state prison sentence to parents who are trying to save their child?
Not only that, but a felony.
Are you actually serious?
I don’t know what is going through the heads of the Montana Republican legislators, thinking that a parent just trying give their trans child life saving care, care that has been proven to work and has been given the stamp of approval by major medicinal orgs across the States, is deserving of a felony. It isn’t.
You’re just bigoted assholes, and we all see it.
However, when the bill was brought to the floor, nonbinary rep SJ Howell stood to oppose it, with them stating:
“There’s a lot of concerns I have about the broadness of this bill, and also the use of felony criminal charges to regulate medical care,” said Howell. “We have a lot of tools at our disposal as the legislature to regulate healthcare, but felony criminal charges are not the appropriate tool for that job. Lastly, but certainly not least, this bill has a lot of concern for me about parental rights. At the end of the day, there are a lot of parents of trans kids that are just doing what they believe is best for their kids. This criminalizes those parents.”
Here is the full link to the speech:
I agree with this wholeheartedly. Not only would this bill affect trans kids and their parents in the state, but it would also affect people passing through the state.
So that could mean, if your going to visit a mountain in Montana, (which are absolutely beautiful by the way), you as a parent cant get medicine for your child.
Like I said, the cruelty is the point. They are using the defense of “child welfare” to mask the cruelty.
They know that this is going to hurt trans teens and their parents. They know this. Yet their bigotry knows no bounds.
Its honestly a bit astounding to me how unabashedly heartless the Red Nazi’s can be.
They know that this bill, which would criminalize and punish parents who are, for all intents and purposes, innocent, for just helping their child by giving them the care that they need, is not only pointless but also incredibly bigoted and heartless.
Yet they still proposed it anyway.
Sad.
Zooming out, I am happy that three straight anti trans bills were killed in the Montana Legislature with 59 total Republicans voting against not only this bill, but two others. I talked about them here:
However, these victories come in contrast to the piss poor response by national Democrats. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a man long seen as an ally for LGBTQ people, has invited transphobic guests onto his podcast not once, not twice, but three times! And has done nothing to counter them.
Not only that, but national Democrats just flat out haven’t said anything denoting their support.
Even Sarah McBride, the first openly trans rep in the US Congress, has stated we need to include more space in our tent, with her saying in an interview to NOTUS:
We have to create more space in our tent. If, for instance, we want to have a majoritarian coalition — not just electorally, but specifically on issues around trans rights — that, by necessity, is going to have to include people who have a range of thoughts,” McBride told NOTUS.
“A binary choice between being all-on or all-off is not constructive for anyone,” McBride continued. “It impedes the very needed path toward winning electorally, winning hearts and minds and, most importantly, winning progress.”
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Trans rights, by nature, is a binary choice! You are either all in on trans rights, or not at all. No in between. So, saying that you cant have a binary choice is just not true, simply for the fact that the choice that Rep. McBride is talking about, is by its very nature, binary.
Plain and simple. Either you are for trans rights, or not. No in between.
If you want to read the article where I talk more about Rep McBride’s cowardice, its right here:
I will end with this message to the Democratic Party: Grow a spine and protect trans rights. It has been proven to work in political races, with Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Susan Crawford being a prime example. Stop trying to play both sides and protect the community.
You twiddling your fingers helps no one.