NC Legislature Targets Transgender Rights, Echoes Trump

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    In an intense week of legislative activity, the North Carolina Senate pushed through new legislation that aligns closely with former President Donald Trump’s political stance on transgender rights. This move comes as state lawmakers near their summer recess by the end of the week.

    On Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill aimed at enhancing protections for women and minors involved in pornography. This bill, however, now includes several controversial provisions related to transgender individuals, which were added during a Senate committee meeting last week. The bill initially moved through the House without opposition last month, but the recent changes have sparked discontent among Democrats, who argue that the bill’s focus was disrupted.

    Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch expressed concerns, stating, “It didn’t just distract from the problem, they made it impossible to solve,” during the floor discussion on Tuesday.

    On Monday, another significant bill titled the Parents Protections Act was passed. This legislation seeks to block child abuse and neglect charges against parents raising transgender children. It now awaits the decision of Democratic Governor Josh Stein, who could choose to veto or approve it. However, given previous Democratic support, Republicans retain enough votes to potentially override any veto from Stein.

    Policies aimed at curbing the rights and visibility of transgender individuals have been prominent under the Trump administration over the past six months. These policies include restrictions on passport sex markers for transgender people, an executive order limiting gender recognition to two sexes, and a ban on transgender troops, which have been met with mixed public reactions.

    The recently passed bills in North Carolina reflect the Trump administration’s stance on transgender matters, extending earlier legislation within the state. Last session, North Carolina’s GOP-led General Assembly passed measures restricting gender-affirming care for minors and barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports across educational levels.

    The Senate’s new bill adds various provisions regarding transgender individuals. It prohibits state-funded gender transition procedures and hormone therapy for prisoners, mandates the state to attach new birth certificates to original ones when a transgender person changes their sex assigned at birth, and reaffirms Trump’s executive order recognizing only two sexes.

    Republican Senator Buck Newton explained the motivations for the new provisions, claiming they address the linguistic erasure of women by pointing to examples such as the term “pregnant person.”

    Originally, the bill concentrated solely on combating sexual exploitation of women and children by introducing age verification and consent measures for pornography websites. It also proposed a mechanism for performers to request content removal regardless of age and consent. These provisions remain, though the bill’s expansion prompted Senate Democrats to express their frustration through a series of amendments and abstentions. Despite extended debate, the bill passed.

    As the bill underwent revisions in the Senate, it must now return to the House for approval of these changes before reaching the governor.

    The Parents Protections Act aims to protect caregivers from abuse or neglect charges if they elect to raise a juvenile based on the juvenile’s biological sex, affecting references to the child and decisions on mental health or medical issues. Adoption agencies also cannot deny applicants unwilling to support a child’s gender transition.

    With nine House Democrats previously supporting the bill, the Governor’s potential veto may easily be overridden, allowing the legislation to become law if voting margins hold.