LGBTQ+ lawmakers in 19 states have committed to introducing legislation protecting Trans youth and their families, thereby creating a “rainbow wall” of refuge.
These states offer refuge to those who have had to flee their home states because of repressive anti-Trans laws coming into effect.
The formation of this rainbow wall comes in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeping the US, from the Don’t Say Gay Bill in Florida to Alabama’s ban on providing gender-affirming care to Trans youth. California’s state senator, Scott Wiener, was the first to develop a counter-legislation, SB 107.
SB 107 will be our legislation to provide refuge in CA for trans kids & their families from states that are criminalizing them & MDs & threatening to remove trans children from their homes.
Here’s the language. Our hope is other states will use it too: https://t.co/SOE8P3fn2C
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) April 19, 2022
“SB 107 will be our legislation to provide refuge in CA for trans kids & their families from states that are criminalizing them & MDs & threatening to remove trans children from their homes,” Wiener tweeted alongside the full eight-page draft of the bill. The senator went on to say that he hoped other states would adopt the same or similar legislation, thereby extending the rainbow wall.
Wiener’s legislation also prohibits out-of-state anti-LGBTQ+ laws in Californian court, protects the medical information of Trans patients and voids out-of-state arrest warrants for those pursuing gender-affirming care.
“We’re making it crystal clear,” Wiener said in a press release, “We won’t let trans kids be belittled, used as political pawns, separated from their families, or denied gender-affirming care.”
🧵 We’re announcing legislation to protect & grant refuge to trans kids & their parents who flee to CA from Texas, etc., in the event states try to separate these kids from their parents, criminalize the parents, or criminalize people coming to CA to receive gender-affirming care
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) March 17, 2022
“This first of its kind legislative effort sends a clear message both to our community and to those who are attacking our community: We’re all in this together and we’re ready to fight,” the statement continued.
The LGBTQ Victory Institute, Equality California and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California are all actively involved in leading the rainbow wall campaign, alongside Senator Wiener.
Bills have been drafted in 19 states in total with great hopes for success in Democrat-controlled zones but the legislation is likely to struggle to come to fruition in red states.
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