[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1213-S1214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Transgender Youth

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak out 
against the recent wave of hate attacks on transgender youth happening 
across our country.
  Over the last few months, we have seen extreme Republican lawmakers 
take unprecedented steps to go after trans children and their families. 
Not only are they spewing hateful rhetoric around gender identity--
making something personal and something a lot of Americans probably 
don't think about every day into a cruel political cudgel--but they are 
also using their political power and legal authority to target trans 
people, and trans kids, in particular.
  Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott made the decision to actively 
investigate and target parents of transgender kids and providers, 
making the totally false claim that gender-affirming care is child 
abuse. In Idaho, just across the border from my home State of 
Washington, lawmakers got dangerously close to passing legislation that 
would criminalize providers for giving kids the gender-affirming care 
they need. In Florida, there is a bill headed to the Governor's desk 
which aims to erase gay and trans kids, parents, and teachers from our 
schools by banning any discussion about gender identity or sexual 
orientation.
  While Democrats have been focused on getting our schools back open 
and helping students catch up after 2 really tough years, Republicans 
are targeting trans kids and gay students and taking incredibly 
important and personal decisions away from parents and families.
  Right now, it feels like far-right lawmakers are in a race to 
legislate the most extreme, most hateful bill they can think of, at the 
expense of trans kids. We all have a responsibility to stand up and 
make clear this is not right. Trans people are our friends; they are 
our neighbors; they are our families. Trans kids deserve to be just 
kids--to play sports, to go to school, to see a doctor, or to get 
healthcare. They should be able to get the same opportunities as any 
other child, to learn and grow and play and thrive free from fear and 
discrimination. And parents deserve to be able to make their own 
parenting decisions with their medical providers to do what is best for 
their kids' health. They should not have to worry about what a 
rightwing politician thinks is best for their kids. And they definitely 
shouldn't live in fear

[[Page S1214]]

that a State legislature is going to intervene in their parenting 
decisions and hurt their child.
  So we have to push back against these attacks on trans kids in every 
way that we can--in the courts, with legislation, through Executive 
action, and by speaking out and speaking up because I can tell you, 
having just talked to my constituents in Washington State, the hurt and 
fear the Governor of Texas has caused is not staying in Texas. What 
Greg Abbott said about trans kids has an effect on many States. I wish 
it didn't, but the truth is: All of those measures are not only really 
scary for trans families across the country, but they also embolden 
more hateful rhetoric and even violence against trans people; and it is 
harming trans kids' mental health no matter where they live.
  We have to be louder than Greg Abbott or whoever is taking aim at 
trans kids. We have to push for legislation like the Equality Act that 
would send a powerful message of support and fairness for trans and gay 
Americans. And we have to stand up for a future without this hateful 
hate, harm, and division that we are seeing and with a lot more 
compassion for each other. It is not too much to ask.