Anti-transgender legislation blocked in Indiana
HB 1361 was introduced in the Indiana legislature on Thursday. Its intent was to block transgender Indianans from updating their birth certificates.
The intent of this bill is to strip transgender people of the most basic and fundamental dignity.
HB 1361 seeks to deny the very existence of transgender people—with the cruel mandate that a transgender person’s birth certificate can never match the identity they live as and the person they have always known themselves to be.
--Freedom Indiana
But the bill encountered what appears on the surface to be a sane republican.
Rep. Cindy Kirchhofer, the Republican chair of the Indiana’s Public Health Committee, confirmed in a statement that she is declining to hear the bill in committee, effectively halting its progress for 2017. She said she will instead focus on the pressing public health issue of opioid and heroin addiction.
We’re so thankful to Rep. Kirchhofer and members of the General Assembly who saw this dangerous bill for what it is: A harmful, discriminatory distraction from the real issues facing Hoosier families.
Discrimination will never win in Indiana. Together, we’ll continue to make sure of it.
--Chris Paulsen, Freedom Indiana
The bill’s author, Republican and Elvis impersonator Rep. Bruce Borders, said the proposal wasn’t meant as a political statement.
This was not a philosophically driven thing. I just respect accuracy in all legal records.
--Borders
Indiana currently requires transgender people to obtain a court order if they want to change their sex on their birth certificate and other legal documents.
Comments
I fail to understand the "state's" compelling interest.
Rep. Bruce Brothers needs to show that the "state" has a compelling interest in knowing about our gender identities. I think our representative should know at least the basics of our legal code.
Sadly
To three (soon to be 4) justices on SCOTUS protecting bigotry based on mythical belief systems is a compelling state interest- well one particular belief system, that is.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Perhaps I should clarify my position:
I am not a legal scholar by any means. But where legal esoterica meets logic I feel comfortable commenting.
There are certain technical standards in the judicial process with respect to how court decisions are made, and what laws we are permitted to enact. I find it a bit disconcerting that I seem to have a better grasp of those principles than some of those entrusted to create those laws. That a potential justices considered for the SCOTUS might have an understanding inferior to mine is absolutely unacceptable.
I agree. When large orgs like AFA, or NOM pushes legislation,
it is to raise money-- most of which gets pocketed by the president of the org. Or bills like the N.C. bill, which- bottom line- prevents towns, cities, counties from passing any legislation contrary to state law (TN. passed something very like N.C.'s HB2 in 2011, in response to Nashville passing a non-discrimination ban). But when state legislators pass a law that literally does nothing other than put an undue burden on a minority, oppressed citizenry, there's nothing that can be construed as anything like "compelling."
Creepy TX Lt. Governor pushing same discrimination bill
Dan Patrick, TX creepy Lt. Governor, is pushing the same discriminatory bill that brought NC a financial shit storm. He's a total turd. Even though business orgs are opposing it, His Turdness is pushing ahead.
TX officials already passed a law that cities can't pass anti fracking ordinances, so fracking can now take place under schools, hospitals, cemeteries, wherever. Idiots!
Thanks, Robyn. Good news, of a sort.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I wonder if orders came down from on high not to spoil
Trump and Pence's big day, at least anymore than it has already been ruined. In any case, a good result - for now.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Pence's stance on transgender rights really worries me.
Years ago a very wise man told us that people should be judged by 'the content of their character'. Color, ethnicity, gender and other involuntary traits should never be used as an excuse to abuse others. Pence does not seem to share this view.
Could you share information about all the other times when Pence did not want to respect the rights of women, gay men or transgender people? We all need to prepare as much as possible to protect everyone's rights. Getting all the information and links together will be useful.