Thread by @adambriggle

At the @TexasHouse now for #SB14, which would prohibit gender affirming care. Second point of order filed. 47 armed officers in the chamber. @mrsbriggle @lmcgaughy

Just one corner. The whole place is lined with cops

@EqualityTexas and @TransTexas have done a great job organizing.

Passed the second point of order, now debating substance of bill.

Clarifying that this would only prohibit this medicine for trans youth. Bill author keeps referring to "normal human development"

Bill author compares gender affirming care to opiods.

The bill would require youth to be weaned off of hormones if they were already on them.

When #SB14 was heard in committee in March, over 2,400 people registered an opinion. 84 in favor, 2,401 against.

The star witness for the bill author in March was discredited by professionals in the field

As in disqualified by a TX court as not an expert in this field

From floor: we didn't ban opiods, we regulated them. We could do that here.

Bill author admits to not knowing anyone with gender dysphoria

Bill author calls gender dysphoria a mental health disorder. Compares it to anorexia

Now an amendment is being proposed.

Amendment author from El Paso points out that political rhetoric dehumanizes and endangers trans folks. Notes this is the extreme to ban care when we can regulate it. Amendment aims to do this, not sure what it is.

Amendment author notes gender affirming care is a months-long process involving lots of discussions with professionals.

Bill author calls situation "run away confusion" medicine without randomized controls to establish standards of care.

Bill author can't remember what parents of trans kids told him. He wants conversion therapy, "we don't treat mental health disorders with surgery"

Both sides claim to be following the science, of course. As if this wasn't about religion for them, love for us.

Q Did any European countries actually ban this treatment? Bill author is not sure! Then lies about UK, the again insists this is mental health, so talk conversion therapy is the only treatment we should allow.

Q: Are you suggesting that you know better than all the experts who oppse this bill? A: These are membership organizations, they are not authoritative, they are biased.

Q: We are banning health care for some youth, but not other youth...what's the difference? (A: transphobia)

Q: We listen to these professional organizations on all other issues...(in fact we just killed a bill, because these organizations said it was bad)...why on this one do we not listen to them? (A: Transphobia)

Amendment fails 55 to 83.

Another amendment being proposed. "If you pass this bill as is, you are going to crush these parents."

Really smart speech about twins, one cis, the other trans, one could get medicine, the other could not get THE SAME medicine. Amendment is to ensure more professional gatekeeping

Amendment would require 5 physicians plus a new state agency to approve any hormone therapy.

Dems are rallying to amendment. Bill author opposes it.

Oh my blob, bill author now using debunked rapid onset gender dysphoria as part of his "scientific" case. He keeps saying these therapies have not gone through proper scientific assessment.

Amendment also creates a new category of 'severe' gender dysphoria, only those cases eligible

Imo, this amendment will fail, because for Rs this is about being 'normal' not the finer points of regulation. And their 'normal' is religion cloaked in science.

This amendment is pitched as "the compromise" "the common ground"

Amendment fails 58 to 81

Third amendment now being proposed

Amendment calls for a sunset clause in light of evolving science and medicine.

Amendment fails 57 to 81

Fourth amendment being proposed. About emancipated minors.

Amendment fails 56 to 81

Fifth amendment being proposed. Would allow puberty blockers, I think.

Amendment fails 56 to 81.

Sixth amendment being proposed. Would allow treatment.

Good line of questions here about risks and benefits to all medications and these decisions are difficult and made by parents and physicians. A: the state comes in here to regulate medicine, the treatments here "are not beneficial at all" "no evidence" wow

Then he says "no conclusive evidence"

He then accuses the AAP of being anti-science and is not reliable.

Amendment fails 56 to 81

Seventh (or eighth?) amendment being proposed. Would remove the weaning off clause.

My Representative is just yucking it up with his pals while all this is going on.

Amendment fails 57 to 80

Eighth amendment, etc...

It fails. Ninth one up.

Eleventh amendment just failed. This place is emptying out.

Again, he insists you just need mental health therapy and that hormones and puberty blockers are not proven safe and effective. No movement in this debate.

Oh, he doesn't like the use of "conversion therapy"! But that's exactly what he is insisting on. He wants kids to "be ok with who they are." But for him that means be ok with the category society insists that you fit into.

They talk as if youth don't already agonize over this, talk about it, deal with all sorts of adults questioning them....as if, hey, they just need talk therapy and they'll get straightened out.

What right do these ignorant fools have to rule over the intimate lives of young folks they cannot even understand?

The bill does not ban puberty blockers for off label use for kids to grow taller.

Best speech of the night by Rep. Bryant. Life is a mystery, let's listen to the experts who devote their lives to studying the mystery, not the politicians who suddenly have an opinion on this and will forget all about it next year.

Another great speech: "Let us define our humanity."