Freedom Oklahoma Statement on SB 129 and SB 613 Passage from Senate Rules
February 8, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY – Two Spirit, transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming folks are not a monolith. So we know that as you encounter the news that today the Oklahoma Senate Rules Committee advanced amended versions of SB 615 (trans healthcare ban for people under 18) and SB 129 (public funding ban impacting any facility or provider that provides gender-affirming healthcare to anyone in Oklahoma of any age), you might feel any number of different things. Your fear, your rage, your distress, they’re all valid. And there likely aren’t words that will easily soothe what it is to encounter this harm, whether it’s you, your child, your family, your friend, your community member who is potentially impacted. We’ll skip the broad statements and dig into what we know, what we can do, and how we can do it together.
SB 129 is double assigned to Senate Appropriations, meaning that it has to be heard before the Senate Appropriations Committee before advancing to the Senate floor. The bill author suggested the bill could be amended to clarify that public funding excluded federal funding, but would not make that amendment during today’s committee hearing.
SB 613 is not currently assigned to Appropriations, meaning that it would next be heard in front of the full Oklahoma Senate on the floor, if they choose to hear it. We will have to continue to watch all of the introduced healthcare ban bills through at least the first committee deadline, knowing the Senate could attempt to move another version of legislation, and that the House might also choose to hear one of the 4 bans introduced in their chamber.
You can continue to follow bill status in our bill tracker, which we work to update daily.
The Legislative process is designed to cut us out and confuse us. In any other state, we could provide testimony, and force legislators to reckon with the harm they’re proposing, push back, and make them hear the facts on the record. But Oklahoma legislators have taken away that opportunity. And still, we show up. We tell our stories when and where we can. We bear witness to the harm, we share what’s happening, and we help others figure out how to get involved.
These bills are designed to make us feel afraid. Alone. And hopeless. But, as James Baldwin said in a 1962 letter to his nephew, “Please try to remember that what they believe, as well as what they do and cause you to endure, does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity and fear." We have each other. And there’s always room for more of us in this work. Our hope is found in community, in showing up, in refusing to let these bills pass comfortably or quietly.
There are 107 more days until the Oklahoma Legislature adjourns Sine Die. This is a marathon of advocacy, not a sprint. Take care of yourself, of your trans community members, and of our broader community trying to cope with- and fight- this harm.
From our team at Freedom Oklahoma: We see you. We love you. Transgender people have always been and will always be in Oklahoma. We belong here. And we’ll keep fighting for a future where all 2SLGBTQ+ people have the safety to thrive.
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We know that stories amplifying attacks on 2SLGBTQ+ people have a measurable negative impact on mental health. We ask that stories covering this topic include information to access 2SLGBTQ+ affirming mental health support, such as Trans Lifeline (877-565-8860), the Trevor Project (call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678), and the LGBT Hotline (888-843-4564).
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