A Republican helped kill an anti-transgender bill

In one of those rare moments of sanity, a Republican state lawmaker joined the Democrats on Wednesday to stop an attack on transgender kids.

Credit is due to Sen. Tyler Pace of Mesa, who dealt a blow to fellow Republicans pushing legislation to ban gender transition procedures for minors.

Pace cast the deciding no vote on the Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee after parents, medical professionals and transgender kids pleaded with lawmakers to reject Senate Bill 1138, which would ban physicians from providing services such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries.

The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Warren Petersen of Gilbert, also would have prevented tax dollars from going to facilities that provide such services.

Emotional testimony may have swayed Pace

Still, Arizonans shouldn’t trust the “pro-life” mob at the Arizona state Legislature.

They can still find ways to bring the legislation back and strike out against transgender kids – some of whom would have otherwise died by suicide without medical intervention.

But, for now, it’s fitting to enjoy Wednesday’s victory, especially after gut-wrenching testimony from parents, kids and medical professionals.

“It’s so freaking mean,’’ a tearful parent of a transgender kid told the committee.

“It takes medical decisions out of the hands of parents like me and their informed providers and puts it the hands of government officials,” another said.

Kids themselves lined up to tell lawmakers on the panel how they considered suicide rather than living with the wrong identity.

That emotional testimony may have helped move Pace, but not the other Republicans who profess to be pro-life when it comes to abortion and promote freedom when it comes to COVID-19 masking.

They, apparently, are perfectly OK with letting transgender kids die.

But don't expect Republicans to give up on this

You would think the same lawmakers screaming to let parents decide over masking kids at schools to protect them from the virus that causes COVID-19 would want the same liberty when it comes to other medical decisions.

But no. They’re all about selective liberty – the one that conforms with their own views on sexuality and parenting.

Hypocrisy doesn’t begin to describe what legislation like this is really about. Lawmakers did hear from some speakers who argued that kids don’t know what’s best for them and that they shouldn’t be allowed to make life-changing decisions like “mutilating” their bodies.

But then again, what is it to them? Why criminalize physicians and punish parents and kids? Why not let parents decide what’s best for their kids?

The answer is simple.

It has nothing to do with protecting children from evil parents who may arbitrarily want to change the sex of a child. It has everything to do with imposing their own prejudice against the transgender community.

Arizonans must remain vigilant. The Republicans backing this and other anti-transgender legislation won’t give up that easily.

Elvia Díaz is an editorial columnist for The Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter, @elviadiaz1. 

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