Texas lawmakers are considering bills that ban gender changes in birth certificates
Legislators in the Texas Legislature are considering a bill that prohibits people in the state from changing gender markings on their birth certificates to reflect their gender identity.
The measure, Senate Bill 406, is currently being debated in the Texas Senate.
According to Fox 4, the Texas Department of Public Safety stopped changing the gender of a driver’s license last year.
The Senate bill will prevent gender changes in birth certificates, whether or not there is a court order.
Texas lawmakers introduce bills to ban everyone, including adults
Texas lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit people in the state from changing the gender of their birth certificates. (Tamir Kalifa/Getty image)
“The bill is not about limiting any person’s personal expression. It’s about ensuring that legal documents reflect accurate statistics,” Sen. Mayes Middleton, a Republican who sponsors the bill, said at a hearing on the state affairs committee Monday. “At present, the only way to change gender is by court orders, which the bill prevents that.”
Megan Benton of Texas Values testified before the committee that it was a “public safety and public records issue.”
“If a man can legally change his birth certificate and say he is a woman, then it is possible to get a driver’s license, passport and social insurance card, and also say he is a woman,” she said.
Several trans Texans also testified to the committee that they believe they are unfair targets.
SB 406 is now debating in the Texas Senate. (Brendan Bell/Getty Image)
“I’m not a monster. It’s not a fetish for me, nor does it decide to be a woman,” said Amanda McLaughlin.
Megan Fairbanks asked: “What harm did I cause to society?”
“I don’t play sports. The only thing I have to do in the bathroom is to use the bathroom, to retouch my makeup and wash my hands,” Fairbanks said.
Landon Richie, Texas Policy Coordinator, believes the bill would lead to quarantine and motivate others to discriminate or put targets on the back of trans people, who said he is already vulnerable.
Dylan Mulvaney
Several transgender Texans say they think their goals are unfair. (Adobe Stock)
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The bill is expected to pass through the Senate and be sent to the House of Representatives.
This comes after state lawmakers passed legislation prohibiting biological men from participating in girls’ school sports.
At the federal level, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to recognize men and women as the only genders.
