The state legislature of New Hampshire passed three different bills attacking transgender equality this past Thursday. The bills will now head to Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s desk.
The bills include H.B. 1205 and H.B. 1312, which passed the New Hampshire Senate along party lines. H.B. 1205 bans girls from participating on school sports teams matching their gender, starting in fifth grade. All girls will be required to submit a birth certificate or “other evidence” of their sex assigned at birth, which the LGBTQ+ organization GLAD says could include a genital inspection. The bill also allows parents to sue their school, the opposing school, the state board that governs school sports, and the state if they believe that a transgender student was allowed to play sports.
Parent Sarah Huckman testified against the bill on behalf of her daughter, who is transgender.
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“She’s a very social, gregarious person, and sports was absolutely one of the best things for her for her mental well-being,” Huckman said. She added that her daughter participates in cross-country, Nordic skiing, and track and has been accepted by the other girls on her teams.
She’s now worried that her daughter’s well-being will be put at risk by H.B. 1205.
H.B. 1312 requires schools to provide two weeks’ notice to parents before discussing sexual orientation and gender identity, labeling such discussions as “objectionable material.” Democrats said that the bill is so broad that it could even ban books depicting heterosexual couples, the LA Blade reported.
“This bill is one of the reasons why nobody wants to go into teaching,” said state Sen. Lou D’Allesandro (D), who’s a former teacher, according to the New Hampshire Bulletin.
“If schools are going to teach these sensitive subjects, parents ought to have the ability to review the material and make informed decisions about their child’s education,” said state Sen. Tim Lang (R), a supporter of the bill.
H.B. 619 also passed, and it bans bottom surgery for transgender youth, even though minors don’t get gender-affirming genital surgery. Additionally, no evidence suggests that anyone in New Hampshire has ever gotten such a surgery as a minor.
“Today the Senate turned its back on New Hampshire values and sent an extremely harmful message to all New Hampshire youth. LGBTQ students are entitled to learn without being targeted at school,” said Chris Erchull, an attorney at GLAD.
“Transgender students need the opportunity to play sports for the same reason other kids do: to learn essential life skills as part of a team where they feel like they belong,” Erchull added. “That’s what we want for all young people – to be able to learn, thrive, and belong. That’s why our state and federal laws make clear – and courts have affirmed – that singling out transgender students for exclusion is wrong.”
Gov. Chris Sununu (R) hasn’t said yet whether he will sign the bills, but he has made statements against transgender rights in the past.
“I fundamentally don’t believe that biological boys should be competing in girls’ sports. I think it’s dangerous,” he said this past March.
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