Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has been lobbied by his son to reject proposed bills that would restrict transition care, define sex as binary, and ban minors from attending drag shows. David Gianforte, who identifies as nonbinary, sat down with his father last month with a prepared statement in hand to read aloud. In the meeting, David argued that the bills would be harmful to the LGBTQ community and a violation of human rights. The impact of the meeting on the governor is unclear.
The report of the father-son meeting provides a snapshot of a family whose views of the transgender bills reflect those playing out across the state. Montana is one of many states considering new bills on transgender issues. These include measures that would limit transition care, define sex in binary terms, and forbid public school students from changing their pronouns without parental permission.
The proposed legislation has exploded into the national consciousness during an escalating standoff between Republican lawmakers and a transgender representative over remarks in opposition to the bill banning transition care for minors. On Wednesday, the state’s House of Representatives blocked the lawmaker, Zooey Zephyr, from the House floor for the remainder of the legislative session.
This year, 11 states have passed laws prohibiting transition care for young people. Previously, just three state legislatures had enacted full or partial bans. The barrage of state legislation is part of a long-term campaign by conservative organizations to use transgender issues as a way to motivate voters and raise money.
David Gianforte said that his father had listed reasons for supporting the bills and is “concerned about his career” and is “aware that being able to stay in the position of governor is dependent on him staying in favor of the Republican Party.” The governor’s letter on April 17 to lawmakers explaining amendments to the bills stated that gender-affirming care was a misleading term and compared it to “Orwellian Newspeak.” David Gianforte found his father’s letter “bizarre” and a contradiction as it talked about compassion towards children while simultaneously taking away healthcare from the youth in Montana.
Major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, support transition care and say that banning it poses serious mental health risks to young people. Conservative legislators across the country have characterized transition care as harmful and experimental, arguing that adolescents should not be allowed to begin medically transitioning before they become adults.
The efforts have thrust the roughly 1.3 million U.S. adults and 300,000 adolescents who identify as transgender into the center of one of the nation’s most pitched political battles. The personal nature of the debate is highlighted by the lobbying of Governor Gianforte by his son, who is directly affected by the issue. The impact of the conversation on the governor’s position on the proposed bills remains to be seen.
Original Story at www.nytimes.com – 2023-04-28 13:50:00