Colorado Poised to Become Haven for Youth Gender Reassignment Surgeries

Transgender Representative Brianna Titone believes nobody would choose to be transgender willingly

Colorado Democrats have passed a bill, co-sponsored by a transgender representative, which would make the state a safe haven for teenagers who are seeking sex changes. The Colorado House of Representatives passed SB 188 on Saturday, which mandates that the state’s courts and medical licensing boards protect doctors who provide hormones and perform sex changes on teenagers from states that limit these procedures and those who provide abortions. The bill, which was co-sponsored by Representative Brianna Titone (D.), who identifies as transgender, passed along with two additional abortion bills that have already been approved by the state senate.

Like Oregon Democrats, Colorado Democrats have endeavored to safeguard controversial medical procedures. As previously reported, lawmakers in Oregon passed legislation that established their state as a “haven” for individuals who were seeking sex changes and abortions. Minnesota has also passed comparable legislation. California legislators have introduced a number of similar bills, including one that would allow young children to live in group homes if their parents do not support their “gender identity.”

The bill passed on party lines after 29 hours of contentious debate. Before passing the measure, the House lawmakers added an amendment stating that the state’s definition of “reproductive health care” includes sex change procedures and sterilization, which ensures that the legislation applies to minors under 19, according to Colorado Catholic Conference executive director Brittany Vessely.

During the floor debate, Titone criticized a Republican colleague for questioning the safety of child sex changes, stating that he lacked “empathy” and that nobody would willingly choose to change genders.

“Why would you want to be that? Why would you want to be a trans person when the governments are telling you you can’t play sports, that you can’t be yourself?” Titone said, according to the Denver Post. “Why would anybody want that? Nobody would want that.”

According to Reuters, a rising number of children are identifying as transgender, with approximately 42,000 children and teenagers diagnosed with gender dysphoria by therapists in 2021— nearly triple the number diagnosed with the disorder in 2017.

The legislation could face a legal challenge. Last week, the state assembly’s non-partisan counsel stated that SB 188 was in violation of a constitutional clause that prohibits bills from regulating more than one subject. Colorado’s Office of Legislative Legal Services determined that the bill unintentionally merged the terms “reproductive health care” and “gender-affirming health care” into one entity while they remain separate. Democrats assert the issue was addressed in the amendment process, but Republicans claim that the constitutional concerns remain and this error represents a widespread issue.

Senate officials are expected to send the bill to Gov. Jared Polis to sign into law, as well as the two abortion bills that were passed, which would empower officials to target crisis pregnancy centers accused of promoting misinformation about abortion, mandate insurance plans to cover abortion without copays, and eliminate the ability to reverse abortion pills, making Colorado the first state to do so.