While many are familiar with the national debate over trans bills regulating bathroom usage, dozens of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ bills are being introduced annually into Congress without press coverage. These bills go beyond just single-sex facility use restrictions, including restrictions on identification documents and religious exemption bills regarding foster care, marriage, school organizations, employment, and athletics. Most concerningly, there are a number of bills aimed at restricting access to healthcare for LGBTQ individuals. These include restrictions on gender-affirming procedures for minors and allowing health care providers the ability to refuse service on religious grounds.
In 2018, four bills were introduced to Congress to restrict access to health care. In 2019, another four bills were introduced, as well as three bills to provide religious exemptions to health care providers. In 2020, nineteen bills were introduced to prohibit health care for trans youth, and seven bills were proposed around religious exemptions in health care provision. While many of these bills are postponed or have died in committee, a religious exemption bill in South Dakota has passed in the Senate. The increasing numbers of these bills would be concerning in any context, but it has particularly daunting implications in our current moment. As a global health crisis takes place, these bills tell LGBTQ people that they cannot trust their government to provide them protection.
Images taken from the ACLU listing of "Legislation Affecting LGBT Rights Across the Country." The bills featured are from the 2020 session.
"Legislation Affecting LGBT Rights Across the Country"
"Trans Rights Under Attack in 2020": Interactive Map
https://www.aclu.org/issue/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights/trans-rights-under-attack-2020