State Bill Banning Gender-Transition Treatment for Minors Gets Hearing at the Capitol

Friday, October 6th, 2023 -- 11:00 AM

(Hope Karnopp, Laura Schulte, and Jessie Opoien, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Republican bills that would ban gender-transition treatment for minors and prohibit transgender women and girls from competing on women's sports teams received hearings in the state Capitol Wednesday.

According to Hope Karnopp, Laura Schulte, and Jessie Opoien with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the hearings, which drew heated testimony from both opponents and supporters, lasted well into the afternoon.

Lawmakers periodically talked over each other and asked audience members to stop making outbursts or face removal from the hearing. Several dozen advocates representing the LGBTQ community testified at three packed hearings that the proposals would harm transgender and nonbinary youth in Wisconsin and worsen the mental health challenges and stigma they face.

"It hurts me that we are having this conversation in this building," said Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire. "I truly think that this is harming some people, it's not the vast majority of people, because we have a small percentage of trans people in our state."

In a letter circulated Wednesday, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly cited data from the state's 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey that found more than half of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide and nearly a quarter attempted to take their own life.

"I’ve seen this movie and I know how it ends. Hating people, isolating them, and hurling insults at them because of their identity has never turned out well in our history," she said. "So, let’s call this anti-trans push for what it is, a dangerous lie, and for what the hate behind it can do, kill children."

At the hearings, Republicans argued the bills would ensure competitiveness in women's sports and prevent transgender individuals from regretting medical procedures, though reviews of research find regretting a gender transition is uncommon.

At the hearings, Republicans argued the bills would ensure competitiveness in women's sports and prevent transgender individuals from regretting medical procedures, though reviews of research find regretting a gender transition is uncommon.

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