The Right's War Against the Trans Community

Oklahoma lawmaker introduces bill that would ban adults from gender reaffirming surgery

Oklahoma state Sen. David Bullard (R) has introduced Senate Bill 129 that would ban "gender transition procedures" to anyone younger than 26 (Denwalt, 2023). He claims that it “violates the Hippocratic Oath, which requires” that medical professionals “do no harm.” Ironically, not giving people this gender affirming care will do much more harm. Bullard claims that he is protecting vulnerable people with mental illnesses, but it is clear that this is not the case. If this were the case, he would simply leave this decision to transgender adults and their medical providers. Bullard is, after all, a state senator with no formal education or experience in the mental health field. He is attempting to hide his hatred behind a facade of concern and sympathy, but anyone with half a brain can see right through this

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This bill is a prime example of Republican authoritarianism and should be denounced from the left and right. Anyone over the age of eighteen should have the right to gender affirming surgery if they choose, and big government should not come in the way of this. Further, this exposes the fact that Republicans do not care about the well-being of children or trans people in general. The right often frames their dislike of transgenderism in terms of protecting children. However, this bill is proof that they simply want to police the decisions of all people. If this was about children, why are they making laws regarding what surgeries adults over eighteen can and cannot get? Their ultimate goal is to eradicate trans people from society, and we cannot let that happen.

Bullard’s proposal is just one of many recent attempts by Republican lawmakers to prevent transgender people from receiving the care they need to affirm their identities and thrive. While the right accuses the left of indoctrinating their children and pushing for authoritarian socialist policies, they push forward policies of authoritarianism and fuel hatred in every aspect of American society. Transgender people are one of the most vulnerable groups and it is vital that we fight back against policies that seek to destroy them.