Given the onslaught of hundreds of bills that are under consideration, it can be hard for parents of trans kids or parents who are transgender themselves to know what’s happening where they live — and how to press lawmakers to fight against anti-trans laws. That’s why one group, the Trans Formations Project, developed a tool for tracking discriminatory legislation so the public can find out what’s happening in their states. The project also lists contact information for state legislators and provides descriptions of any proposed legislation in easy-to-understand language, without all the legal jargon and vagueness that tends to obfuscate what passed laws would actually do to our kids. Though there are other legislation trackers online, the Trans Formations Project is unique in that not only is its database the most complete but developers and volunteers manually double-check all the information instead of leaving the work up to bots to comb the internet. “We have a tool that allows us to search keywords for new legislation, and then manually people search those keywords and comb through all the legislation and also respond to community feedback,” Trans Formations Project founder and president Alex Petrovnia told Fatherly. “It’s a horrifying attack on human rights,” Petrovnia says of the recent wave of anti-trans legislation. “It’s really disappointing to see that there is very little media attention being drawn to it. And there’s very little public awareness of this issue … which is a lot of why we put together this database. Because a lot of people, once they heard about it, wanted to help. They just didn’t know how.”
How Do Anti-Trans Laws Harm Kids and Families?
To date, the Trans Formations Project estimates that 150 anti-trans bills have been introduced to state House floors around the country in 2022 alone. According to Petrovnia, many of these bills are failing due to the closing of state legislature sessions. But that is cold comfort. Because many of the bills are passing, and trans kids and their families are suffering. Even anti-trans bills that don’t pass have an effect on kids and their families. That lawmakers would consider bills that would make their kids lesser citizens have something of a chilling effect. It makes families wonder if they belong. When bills that ban puberty blockers or gender-affirming care pass, trans youth suffer. A 2020 study found that trans people who wanted to suppress their puberty but did not have access to medications to do so were 70% more likely to experience suicidal ideation than those who did receive puberty blockers. The American Medical Association, American Psychological Society, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all support gender-affirming care for trans kids. Children with gender dysphoria who do not receive meaningful medical care suffer tremendously. More than half of trans boys, 42% of nonbinary kids, and 30% of trans girls have attempted suicide. Many other anti-trans bills aim to “save” girls’ sports by banning trans kids from playing sports as the gender they identify with. But as one advocate put it to Fatherly: “They’re just kids who want to play soccer and run around the track.” All these bills do is make trans kids who want to play sports with their friends feel more alone. If you’re overwhelmed by the news — and not sure where these anti-trans efforts have been successful — look no further. Below is a current map and list of states that have passed anti-trans legislation and what those laws entail.
Every State That Has Passed A Law That Limits The Rights Of Trans Kids
Alabama
HB-322 requires that the use of bathrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and shower rooms be based on “biological sex,” meaning the sex assigned at birth. HB-391 prohibits any K-12 sporting events from allowing competition between “one biological gender against another” unless the event is co-ed. SB-184 prohibits gender-affirming medical care for trans-youth up to age 19. Any care provided, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, will result in a felony for the care provider. The bill also requires public and private school personnel to inform a child’s legal guardian if the child identifies as transgender.
Arizona
SB-1138 — prohibits gender-affirming surgeries for people under the age of 18. SB-1165 requires that all school sporting events be classified as being for “males, men, or boys,” “females, women, or girls,” or “coed or mixed.” The bill also bans kids who weren’t assigned female at birth from participating in girls’ sports.
Arkansas
HB-1570 bans gender-affirming medical care for those under age 18. SB-354 bans transgender women and girls from participating in girls’ sports, including at the collegiate level. SB-450 a companion bill to SB-354 that allows the Arkansas state attorney general to take legal action against any school that allows transgender women and girls to participate in girls’ sports.
Florida
H1557 the state’s “Don’t Say Gay or Trans Bill” prohibits discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in grades K-3 and limits the extent to which orientation and identity can be discussed in later grades. Allows families to sue school districts if they feel their children have been exposed to sexual orientation or gender identity discussions in the school setting. S1028 prohibits students from participating in sports not consistent with their assigned sex at birth. Of note, although Florida hasn’t passed a law banning medical care for trans youth, the Florida Department of Health released new guidelines on April 20th that recommend against gender-affirming care for youth in the state in any capacity — medical, surgical, or even social transitioning.
Iowa
HF2146 requires that all school sporting events be classified as being for “males, men, or boys,” “females, women, or girls,” or “coed or mixed.” The bill also bans those who weren’t assigned female at birth from participating in girls’ sports.
Mississippi
SB2536 bans transgender girls from participating in K-12 and collegiate-level girls’ sports.
Montana
SB112 requires scholastic athletes to participate in sports according to their sex assigned at birth. SB280 requires transgender residents to submit a court order confirming they’ve undergone gender-affirming surgery before being allowed to change the sex on their birth certificates; does not specify what type of gender-affirming surgeries are needed.
North Dakota
HB1298 prohibits scholastic athletes from participating in sports teams that don’t match their assigned sex at birth.
Oklahoma
SB2 requires that all school sporting events be classified as being for “males, men, or boys,” “females, women, or girls,” or “coed or mixed.” The bill also bans those who weren’t assigned female at birth from participating in girls’ sports. Also requires student-athletes or their guardians to sign an affidavit at the start of each school year confirming their “biological sex.”
South Dakota
SB46 sports teams must be designated as either male, female, or co-ed. Sex is defined as what is documented on unaltered birth certificates.
Tennessee
HB0003 states that students must participate on sports teams based on their sex assigned at birth. HB1027 bans gender-affirming health care for minors. HB1182 requires businesses to post an announcement at their entrance if mixed-gender bathrooms are used on site. HB1233 requires students to use bathroom facilities designated for the sex they were assigned at birth. Allows legal action against schools if students believe the school intentionally allowed a member of the “opposite sex” to share a bathroom or locker room with them. SB0126 prohibits gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. SB0228 requires that participation in middle or high school sports be determined by the student’s sex assigned at birth.
Texas
HB25 requires student-athletes to participate in sports based on their assigned sex at birth. Of note, although Texas did not pass a bill that would classify gender-affirming care for minors as child abuse, Texas Governor Greg Abbott did publish guidance in late February directing Child Protective Services (CPS) to investigate families that might be helping their kids seek age-appropriate, life-saving, gender-affirming medical care. The fallout from the law has already begun, with families being investigated for helping their trans children seek evidence-based care.
Utah
HB0011 bans students from participating in “gender-designated sports” that do not match the student’s assigned sex. (Utah Governor Spencer Cox did veto this bill, noting that there were just four transgender kids playing sports in the state out of 75,000 student athletes, but his veto was overridden.)
West Virginia
HB3283 prohibits transgender students from participating in sports that align with their gender identity. This story is ongoing and will be updated regularly.
