There are some who will always find true Liberty for all to be too risky an idea to embrace — unfortunately, many of those people are elected officials.
In state legislatures across the country, bills have been proposed (and unfortunately in some cases, passed) that would regulate and criminalize the personal medical and life decisions of transgender individuals. Those who long have declared themselves champions of limited government and personal freedom are seeking to insert their own opinions into decisions that should be left to individuals and families.
In Arkansas where some bills have already become law after legislators overrode a veto, Governor Hutchinson expressed the same confusion so many share. “The Republican Party that I grew up with believed in a restrained government that did not jump in the middle of every issue.” Of course, anyone paying attention has recognized that neither old party is interested in a restrained response to any concern.
As is the only apparent tactic of status quo politicians these days, those championing anti-liberty bills are spreading fear, lies, and sensational stories to secure support for limiting the rights of those they simply do not understand or do not want seen as acceptable. In Texas, there is an effort to classify gender-affirming care as child abuse — which can be classified as a felony with corresponding jail time. Right now there are parents wondering if they will have to uproot their families and flee their home state rather than neglect the carefully considered care that is helping their children thrive.
There is perhaps nothing more dangerous to individuals and families than elected officials who value their own opinions over the love and devotion of a parent seeking expert opinions and the best life for their child.
Right now, our efforts are focused in Tennessee. With a significant number of anti-trans legislation proposed, and some that has already passed, LP leadership and staff are working with on-the-ground activists to make as many people aware of these tyrannical measures as possible. With the Tennessee legislative session concluding on April 30th, we have only a few short days to make a difference. YOU can help stop these attempts to harm transgender individuals.
Please give generously if you can. We are putting every resource we have available toward protecting those who are the targets of representatives’ ignorance or anger, and the more support that we have, the more our efforts will be successful.
As is always true, Libertarians are not a monolith. We do not all share the same worldviews or opinions, and we certainly do not all make the same choices in our own lives. What unites Libertarians over any slogan or soundbite is the shared belief that all individuals deserve to live their lives as they see best and to be free to do so without the interference of an overreaching state that cannot possibly know the love and consideration and struggles that go into such important decisions.
