Human Rights Campaign Condemns Oklahoma Legislators for Proposal Banning Gender Affirming Care, Weaponizing Federal COVID Relief Funds – Human Rights Campaign

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, responded to the passing of SB 3, proposed today during the Oklahoma legislature’s special session. The bill threatens to withhold almost $40 million in federal COVID relief dollars granted in President Biden’s American Rescue Plan from OU Health if the medical facility continues to provide age-appropriate, medically necessary gender-affirming care. Today’s move comes on the heels of far-right pressure placed upon lawmakers, spearheaded by ongoing disinformation campaigns on social media and other platforms. This development also comes as medical professionals who provide gender affirming care continue to face escalating threats of violence, which are not only occurring online, but are carrying over into the real world as well. The American Academy of Pediatrics expressed solidarity and support of these providers in a statement yesterday, along with their opposition to any legislation that attempts to ban or severely limit gender affirming care.

In response, HRC State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel and Cathryn Oakley issued the following statement:

“Oklahoma legislators should be ashamed: they’re holding millions of dollars in desperately-needed COVID relief hostage so that they can, once again, demonstrate how much they dislike transgender youth. This is nothing more than extremist politicians using federal relief funds as a weapon to restrict life-saving care for transgender youth, an already vulnerable population who simply want access to medically necessary care. This best-practice medical care is supported by every major medical association in the country. If these lawmakers truly cared about the wellbeing of Oklahoma’s youth, they’d fund the hospital without discriminatory strings attached. Instead, they are choosing to actively harm transgender youth for selfish political purposes.”

Last month, HRC, in conjunction with the Center for Countering Digital Hate, released a report shining a light on the proliferation and effects of anti-LGTBQ+ narratives and disinformation on social media, and their drive behind the discriminatory rhetoric and public policy decisions of extremist politicians, bills much like the one revealed today. Key findings can be found here, along with a full copy of the report.

Get the facts about gender-affirming care: