I'm a Goblin King

Trans advocates are celebrating after a Louisiana bill seeking to ban trans youth from accessing gender-affirming care was defeated in the state’s Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday.

After hours of public testimony from a packed room, the committee voted 5-4 to kill the H.B. 648. Committee Chairman Fred Mills (R) strayed from his fellow Republicans to break the tie and vote against the bill alongside Democrats.

“I guess I’ve always believed in my heart of hearts that a decision should be made by a patient and a physician,” Mills said, according to WWNO...

Dr. [Clinton] Mixon, who provides gender-affirming care to youth, pointed out findings from the Louisiana Department of Health that no gender-affirming surgery was performed on a minor in the state between 2017 and 2021.

“When you prescribe hormone therapies to these kids, they get better,” Dr. Mixon said. “They stop cutting. They want to live. They go to school. They get better grades. Their relationships improve, and they can begin to live a more normal teenage life.” ...

Mills has now become an enemy of Republican extremists for voting alongside Democrats...

But Mills isn’t phased. When asked about it by the Louisiana Illuminator, Mills didn’t see a reason to worry about it.

“Why should I? They don’t live in District 22. They don’t have a 337 area code. I didn’t run for office to serve those people” 

Trans activist Erin Reed hailed the vote as a “massive, massive win for transgender people.”

“Louisiana becomes only the 3rd red state to beat back a total gender-affirming care ban for trans teens,” Reed added. “Activists there should be truly proud. This was not an easy task.”

Dave Grohl and Shane Hawkins

“on balance, it is likely that God has a sense of humor”