SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As a response to the over 300 anti-LGBTQ bills that have been introduced this year across the nation, lawmakers want to make California a sanctuary state for the LGBTQ community.

A lawmaker leading the charge for LGBTQ freedom in the Golden State is Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Fairfield), who became the first lawmaker in California to be the parent of a transgender person.

“That didn’t even cross my mind as something that was like to be thought of as a big deal until people within the community, LGBTQ+ community, started to make a note of it and come talk to me about how important for them it was,” Wilson said.

Wilson shared her family’s experience during her son’s transition, and the important steps taken to help the process.

“We did therapy as a family and with him just to give him space to figure out what it was and eventually he did receive gender-affirming care, both through therapy and surgically,” Wilson said.

Wilson credits living in California as a reason for her son to transition with no outside interference, unlike other states in the nation. Wilson used Texas as an example of a state where transgender people cannot transition as freely.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott equated medical treatment for trans teens with child abuse. He also directed officials to investigate parents and doctors who provide gender-affirming care.

Wilson said she can’t imagine what her son’s transition process would have been like if the state she lived in prevented her son from receiving the care he wanted. She pointed out her son struggled with depression and anxiety before the procedure.

“After he went through this process, I have a bright child. He is happy, he’s healthy, he’s going to college, he’s doing well,” Wilson said.

Wilson, along with State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), introduced SB 107. The bill would make California a sanctuary state for transgender kids and their families from other states that have anti-LGBTQ legislation.

“SB 107 provides that we will not honor subpoenas coming out of these states, whether it’s for medical records or other records in order to enforce these unconstitutional, despicable laws,” said Senator Wiener.

Wiener adds SB 107 will help make California a safe haven for transgender children and their families.

The legislation is making its way through the legislature; however, the bill has faced fierce opposition throughout the process.

Attorney Erin Friday testified against SB 107 during an Assembly Public Safety Committee meeting.

“[SB 107] is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment in Article 4. This law will not only provide sanctuary for families who live in states with bans, it makes California the refuge for all children who want to get access to any type of gender interventions,” Friday said. 

Opponents of gender-affirming care often cite cases where children might regret undergoing treatment.

However, a 2021 systemic review of 27 studies and 7,928 transgender patients found a regret rate of 1% or less. Which is less than other elected surgeries, such as weight-loss procedures.

Most of the patients who regretted transitioning regretted doing so because of the transphobia they faced after transitioning.

Wiener emphasized SB 107 will protect transgendered children and their families, while complying with the Constitution.

“This bill, if enacted into law, will send a very clear message that California stands with our trans kids and their families and their physicians that provide them with care and we are not going to do anything unless we are absolutely mandated by the constitution to facilitate the destruction of these families,” Wiener said.

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