#hb2796

HB2796 is an absolutely blatant attempt to strip away the civil rights of transgender people; and it's absolutely fucking terrifying.

Quoting the official summary of HB2796:

This bill prohibits the word "sex" or "gender" from being interpreted to mean "gender identity," and requires "man" or "woman" to be interpreted to refer exclusively to a person's genetic sex, for purposes determining the meaning of federal civil rights laws or related federal administrative agency regulations or guidance. No federal civil rights law shall be interpreted to treat gender identity or transgender status as a protected class, unless it expressly designates "gender identity" or "transgender status" as a protected class.

HB2796 is currently with the Republican-majority House Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. Please, PLEASE--especially if you're cisgender, and doubly if you're one of their constituents--call the Representatives on the committee and explain just how much damage this will do, how many lives it will destroy, and how many legislative careers (hopefully) hinge on its passage or failure.

Committee members are:

Chairman Steve King (R-IA-04; King is also one of HB2796′s sponsors) - (202) 225-4426

Vice Chairman Ron DeSantis (R-FL-06) - (202) 225-2706

Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ-08; Franks is also one of HB2796’s sponsors) - (202) 225-4576

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX-01) - (202) 225-3035

Rep. Karen Handel (R-GA-06) - (202) 225-4501

Ranking Member Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) - (202) 225-3265

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08) - (202) 225-5341

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY-10) - (202) 225-5635

EYYYYYY but you know what’s not funny

H.B. 2796 “The Civil Rights Uniformity Act of 2017″ [<-- ???!!]

This bill prohibits the word “sex” or “gender” from being interpreted to mean “gender identity,” and requires “man” or “woman” to be interpreted to refer exclusively to a person’s genetic sex, for purposes determining the meaning of federal civil rights laws or related federal administrative agency regulations or guidance. No federal civil rights law shall be interpreted to treat gender identity or transgender status as a protected class, unless it expressly designates “gender identity” or “transgender status” as a protected class. 

(Full text [link] )

(Congressional info, minus the text [link] )

(LegiScan breakdown [link] )

This is a real thing that is happening in the U.S., right now. I cannot overstate how destructive such an interpretation would be should it be enacted on a federal level.

Here is a succinct post with committee contact information. Please write; please call. I am terrified for the people I love, detest, and do not know, and will be doing both.

IT’S NOT JUST TRANSGENDER RIGHTS, THIS COULD BE THE THING THAT ENABLES THEM TO ROLL BACK EVERY MAJOR CIVIL RIGHT VICTORY.

okay, whatever your thoughts on transgender rights are, listen up: I think the whole thing is vile, but if this passes because people are too busy hating trans people or just simply not caring? That means that Roe v. Wade? Becomes unimportant. And we all know, many people would be very happy to take away your right for abortion. But why stop there? Sweatt v. Painter? Hello racial segregation, we didn’t miss you and you wasn’t gone for long! Loving v. Virginia? Should we go on?

Civil Rights Uniformity Act of 2017 This bill prohibits the word "sex" or "gender" from being interpreted to mean "gender identity," and requires "man" or "woman" to be interpreted to refer exclusively to a person's genetic sex, for purposes determining the meaning of federal civil rights laws or related federal administrative agency regulations or guidance. No federal civil rights law shall be interpreted to treat gender identity or transgender status as a protected class, unless it expressly designates "gender identity" or "transgender status" as a protected class.

Are you FUCKING kidding me.