Georgia Senate advances pair of bills to ban gender-transitioning treatment for minors, inmates

Georgia’s Senate made headlines recently by passing two bills aimed at banning most gender-transitioning treatment for minors and inmates in state prisons. The measures received support from both Democrats and Republicans, with some Democrats crossing party lines to vote in favor of the bills.

The first bill, sponsored by GOP Sen. Ben Watson, passed with a vote of 34-19. This bill prohibits most gender-transitioning treatments, such as puberty blockers, for individuals under the age of 18, even if they are already undergoing treatment. In 2023, Georgia banned most gender-transitioning surgeries and hormone replacement therapies for transgender children unless they were already receiving treatment.

Sen. Watson emphasized the long-term implications of gender-transitioning treatments on minors, stating, “You’re asking [minors] to make changes that will have changes to the rest of their lives. It is not a fair decision to them. It is not a fair decision to the parents.”

The second bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson, passed with a vote of 37-15. This bill focuses on banning most gender-transitioning treatment for inmates in state prisons.

Critics of the bills accused Republicans of targeting transgender individuals for political gain and argued that the legislation infringes on the rights of transgender people and their families to make decisions about their own treatment. Senate Minority Whip Kim Jackson, a Democrat who is openly lesbian, spoke out against the bills, stating, “This body has promulgated bill after bill attacking trans people with the ultimate goal of making trans folks disappear.”

Despite opposition from some Democrats, the bills passed in the Senate and will now move to the House for further consideration. The passage of these bills in Georgia reflects a broader trend across the country, with at least 26 states enacting laws restricting gender-transitioning treatment for minors.

The debate over gender-transitioning treatments continues to be a contentious issue, with lawmakers grappling with how to balance individual rights with broader societal concerns. As the bills make their way through the legislative process, the voices of transgender individuals and their allies will continue to play a crucial role in shaping the outcome.