The 68th Session of the North Dakota Legislature is in full swing, and with it an onslaught of bills endangering the rights and lives of North Dakotans. The LGBTQ2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, Two Spirit) population is no stranger to attacks from the GOP, and this session’s bills are no exception.
We could point out – as we have in the past – the lies on which these bills are based. Or we could highlight the hypocrisies each bill contains that go against their own party’s messaging. We could also emphasize the real challenges our citizens face. But these ‘representatives’ are not interested in the truth.
We have been here before. This time around, the “Free Speech” party wants to ban books. The “My Body, My Rights” party wants to curb reproductive rights. The “All Lives Matter” party wants to erase LGBTQ2S+ lives. If they believed all lives truly mattered, they would write legislation to improve lives.
The GOP believes it knows better than the twenty-nine medical organizations that recognize and endorse transgender-related care. But the GOP continues to tear down and discriminate against those already struggling to exist. Those who are made to feel less than. Those already at increased risk of suicide. To truly help LGBTQ2S+ youth is to provide gender-affirming medical care, participation in sports, literature, and safe spaces they so desperately need. Yet the GOP continues to rally against proven life-saving measures. Fifteen bills that threaten the physical and mental well-being of our residents are due to be heard and voted on (see below).
These bills continue pushing North Dakota youth out of North Dakota and do nothing to address the issues with our workforce, childcare, schools, bullying, gun violence that affect our youth. North Dakota will lose doctors to the anti-abortion laws, educators and school superintendents to our education laws, and youth to the anti-LGBTQ2S+ and anti-transgender laws.
Magic City Equality stands for Equality for all - not just the privileged few who waste our taxpayer time and money with their hateful legislation.
Below is a list of bills which would affect the LGBTQ2S+ community in North Dakota. Click on the links to get more information on these bills. (A big thank you to Faye Seidler for compiling this list and helping to keep the LGBTQ2S+ community informed!)
HB 1111 - Allows disregarding international health organization recommended policy
HB 1139 - Adds a requirement to add sex to birth certificate
HB 1205 - Ban Gender Identity/Sexual Identity in Library books
HB 1249 - Bans trans individuals in sports
HB 1254 - Criminalize medical care for transgender youth and declare emergency
HB 1256 - Create criminal penalties around allegation of discrimination
HB 1297 - Gender marker on birth certificate may not be changed
HB 1301 - Prohibit medical care and give the right to sue doctor and parents
HB 1332 - Make conversion therapy not considered unethical
HB 1333 - Criminal penalty for drag queens
HB 1403 - Parent rights supersede state intervention with limited exceptions
SB 2188 - Comprehensive parental rights
SB 2199 - Completely erases trans individuals from Century Code
SB 2231 - Prevent school policy that acknowledges gender identity
SB 2260 - Comprehensive parental rights
To track a bill, the North Dakota Legislature provides a tracking system so you can follow particular bills.
Below, please find files courtesy of Faye Seidler. Faye's listserv is an excellent way to stay up to date on what is going on. She can be reached at fayeseidler@gmail.com.