The great state of Alabama has voted to make hormone therapy and surgery for trans youth a felony.
Senators voted 23-4 to approve the measure, dubbed the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act, sponsored by Republican Senator Shay Shelnutt. The bill now heads to the state House of Representatives, which has already approved a companion bill.
This is a god-awful thing in and of itself and it will rightfully get a lot of attention for its abject cruelty, hypocrisy, and legislative overreach.
But there is a far more insidious part of this law:
The bill also requires school staff in the state to disclose to parents that “a minor’s perception that his or her gender is inconsistent with his or her sex.” Essentially, teachers would be required to “out” transgender students to their guardians — regardless of whether they are ready to do so.
It also (as I understand it from an expert in the field) requires counselors and social workers to report as well. It is hard to overstate how bad this is. Teachers, social workers, and counselors are in positions of trust, and are frequently the only people kids are willing to talk to when their parents are unwilling or outright hostile. This can put teachers in the position of reporting something that could cause the child physical harm, if the child’s parents are hostile. It also equates a child who is questioning their gender with sex abuse.
Alabama is the first in this, but unless there is massive push back, expect other states to pass similar legislation.
