“Trans Lives Matter” protesters entered the Oklahoma Capitol on Monday to protest against new bills that seek to ban gender-affirming surgery for young people.
Over 100 protesters from Oklahomans For Equality and Freedom Oklahoma started outside the Capitol and eventually made their way inside the rotunda, chanting loudly and waving signs with phrases such as “You can’t erase us” and “Save Trans Lives.”
TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS MOVE FORWARD WITH BAN ON SEX REASSIGNMENT SURGERY FOR MINORS
Protesters called on lawmakers to vote “no” against these bills, some that would prohibit gender reassignment care or hormone therapies for those under 18. One in particular, Senate Bill 129, “The Millstone Act,” would ban treatment for anyone under the age of 26 by punishing doctors who provide such services.
The state legislature has not yet voted.
FYI: this was peaceful.
Security let them in and everyone went thru metal detectors.
At one point, Senators walked from their chamber -thru the crowd – into the House chamber, and there was no physical violence or verbal altercation. https://t.co/SbEJFCU5my
— Nick Camper (@nickcamper) February 7, 2023
Local media reports said the protest was considered to be peaceful. Security let them into the state Capitol, which is open to the public. Senators could be seen exiting their chamber and walking through the crowd to get to the House chamber without physical or verbal altercations.
Protesters called the legislation “genocide,” claiming that restricting youth from this type of care could drive more to suicide.
The bills are being championed by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R), who called on the legislature to pass the restrictions in his State of the State address Monday night.
“We must protect our most vulnerable — our children,” Stitt said. “After all, minors can’t vote, can’t purchase alcohol, can’t purchase cigarettes. … We shouldn’t allow a minor to get a permanent gender-altering surgery in Oklahoma.”
Last year, Stitt signed a bill that banned transgender females from competing in girls’ sports, as well as from using girls’ locker rooms and restrooms.
Zephyr Cove, a protester, told student news outlet OU Nightly that children should be able to access hormone replacement therapy “as soon as they have a sense of self.”
“You know that as soon as you have a sense of self,” Cove said via Daily Mail. “These kids shouldn’t be forced to have to deny that just because the people around them won’t listen to them.”
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Oklahoma is proposing some of the strictest transgender healthcare legislation in the United States. The Transgender Law Center marks Oklahoma as one of eight states that have a “negative overall policy” tally. On Feb. 2, Tennessee lawmakers voted to move forward with a ban on gender reassignment surgery for minors.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Oklahomans For Equality and Freedom Oklahoma leaders for comment.
