There is been a lot of debate over the rights of transgenders and individuals being able to decide whether they are male or female. It is seen in all states in the United States, but now there may be problems in Texas.
If a new bill goes through, a person could be facing a $10,000 fine and a two-year prison sentence if they reveal their gender to a federal worker or their employer.
This isn’t the first issue that is being felt by the transgender community. Pres. Donald Trump also filed a few executive orders that were targeted in that direction after coming into the presidency during this term.
As a result, there have been some issues that have already come up, including Euphoria star Hunter Schaefer getting a new passport that lists her as being ‘male’. Trump is also attempting to keep transgender women from participating in women’s sports and to disallow transgender people from being in the military.
When it comes to ‘House Bill 3817’, however, it is more specific to the state of Texas. It was introduced by Tom Oliver Singh, the Republican state representative for Texas.
According to the proposal: ‘An act relating to creating the criminal offense of gender identity fraud.’
This new form of fraud would be enacted with an amendment to the Texas Penal Code. In the legislation, ‘gender identity fraud’ is described as being ‘A person commits an offense if the person knowingly makes a false or misleading verbal or written statement to a governmental entity or the person’s employer by identifying the person’s biological sex as the opposite of the biological sex assigned to the person at birth.’
It goes on to say: “An offense under this section is a state jail felony.”
If the act is passed, it would have September as a target date to get started.
In general, transgender people in Texas would not be allowed to reveal their gender identity to police officers, their employers, or on a government application. If asked, they would have to identify as the gender of their birth.
In order for this bill to be accepted, it has to be approved and some trackers say that it is not likely to be approved by the majority.
It was only seven months ago that the Texas Department of Public Safety ordered that transgender people no longer had the right to change their gender on their state ID and driver’s license.
After that happened, the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) Texas in Texas issued a statement. It said: “The Department of Public Safety has a responsibility, as stated in its own name, to keep all Texans safe. This policy does the opposite.”
Not having accurate driver’s licenses jeopardizes trans people’s health and safety — by potentially outing the individual and exposing them to discrimination, harassment, and violence. State agencies can’t ignore court orders nor is DPS allowed to collect or share people’s personal information for political aims.
“This relentless targeting of transgender Texans is yet another alarming attack on our privacy, safety, and dignity. Trans people deserve to live free from persecution in Texas and everywhere else.”
