Top Washington lawmakers promise to protect trans kids

OLYMPIA Wash. (KPTV) - On Monday, Washington Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen and Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins issued a joint statement vowing to fight back against federal executive orders “attacking transgender youth:”

“As parents, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and the elected leaders of the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives, we will protect transgender youth. These attacks from the new federal administration are alarming, but they do not change Washington state law,” wrote Jinkins and Pedersen.

“We have established protections at the state level to ensure young people can access life-saving gender-affirming care. We have strong nondiscrimination laws that protect our young people at school, and we are working to clarify and strengthen those laws this session.”

Some hospitals in the US have started pausing gender-affirming care for transgender kids, including in places like Colorado, Virginia and Washington D.C.

Trump’s order, signed last week, is part of a push to reverse Biden administration policies meant to protect transgender people and their care. It ordered agencies to take steps to makes sure that hospitals receiving federal research and education grants “end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.”

“The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has made clear they will not comply with any federal directives that would require us to discriminate against our students, and we strongly support this position,” added Pedersen and Jinkins. “We have also passed some of the strongest legal protections in the country, establishing a shield law preventing other states from enforcing cruel or archaic laws across state lines.”