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THE UNFORTUNATE BAD NEWS IN #IDLEG
PARTY LINE DISCRIMINATORY BILLS CONTINUE TO PASS
“It’s a strange experience to have your human rights debated before your very eyes.” -- Borah High School senior
State government would do better by the people if we focused on how to lift up all families and support education, health care, and affordable housing for everyone INSTEAD OF passing bills that remove personal freedoms and institutionalize discrimination.
This was a tough week once again for people who don't fit the Republican Party's mythical "traditional family mold."
Intentional Misgendering of People
The House passed H538 which would not only allow but in fact encourage public employees to misgender Idahoans on the job. Needless to say, I oppose this bill, unfortunately all the GOP House Reps. voted for it. I want all trans Idahoans to know this: you are not alone, we are here, we keep you in our thoughts, and will continue our efforts to mitigate and stop the hateful and cruel efforts that the Supermajority keeps pushing.
"Traditional Family Values" Defined and Institutionalized
On Thursday the House passed HCR35 which would establish the days between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as “Traditional Family Values Month” the language used in the Resolution is shockingly exclusionary, as a “Traditional Family” is defined as a mother and father raising their biological children. It goes on to enumerate many (dubious) statistics that suggest the inferiority of all other family units and structures. The resolution demeans single parents, blended families, adoptive families, and families with gay parents -- all inferior according to HCR35.
It’s deeply offensive to the thousands of Idaho families who don’t fit neatly into this arbitrary, prescribed definition that the GOP is trying to institutionalize. Why would we have a whole month dedicated to telling single moms that their kids have the deck stacked against them? It’s ridiculous-unfortunately not a single GOP Rep. joined House Democrats in voting against it.
No Public Funds for Gender Affirming Care
Another bill attacking the trans community of Idaho, H668 passed the Senate State Affairs Committee. The bill would prohibit any public funds for gender-affirming care, including state employees. If this bill was signed into law, it would almost certainly be held up in court as unconstitutional and would mean Idaho could lose all federal funding for Medicaid. Many Idahoans came to testify against the bill, unfortunately, the powerful testimony fell on deaf ears.
I AGREE WITH THE ACLU OF IDAHO STATEMENT ABOUT H668
After the Committee was over, I spoke with this group of high school students in attendance (pictured below) and asked what they thought of the committee discussion. They were surprised and couldn't believe that this was being passed by our state government.
One student who identified themselves as nonbinary, not fitting neatly into a 2 gender system, exclaimed that “it’s a strange experience to have your human rights debated before your very eyes.”
Hope for Our Future
Unlike the committee members, these students have a different vision for the world...
- A world where everyone deserves to life in their own way and to find happiness without the government dictating who you are, how you want to live, and who you want to love.
I was so inspired by these students who have a bright future and will no doubt, one day, undo the discrimination that has been done in our Statehouse.
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