A shocking new bill in the US state of Texas aims to make identifying as transgender a felony offence punishable by imprisonment.
Texas Bill Targets Trans Identities
The proposed law, introduced by Republican legislator Tom Oliverson, seeks to amend the state penal code to create the crime of “gender identity fraud.”
Under the bill, a person would be guilty of this offence if they “knowingly [make] a false or misleading verbal or written statement to a governmental entity or the person’s employer by identifying the person’s biological sex as the opposite of the biological sex assigned to the person at birth.”
The bill fuels a growing and dangerous narrative that denies the authenticity of transgender identities and implies malicious intent in gender expression.
If found guilty, individuals could face up to several years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
Backlash from Activists
Outrage has erupted in response to the bill. The activist known as The Pissed Off Lawyer wrote on X: “Texas wants to pass a bill making it a fraud to be trans & a felony. Unbelievably ridiculous. There’s no fraud in being trans. I make no secret that I’m a trans man, although I might have to start with shit like this.”
Anarie Whit also condemned the legislation, stating that it “represents a new front in attacks on trans people and connects with other attempts to label being trans as ‘fraud’.”
A Pattern of Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation
While the bill may struggle to gain traction, Oliverson has a track record of successfully targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
He authored the 2023 law that banned gender-affirming care for minors in Texas, which remains in effect. The latest bill is part of a wave of hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ laws introduced in state legislatures across the US in the past year.
Trump Administration’s Anti-Trans Stance
The renewed push to roll back transgender rights is reinforced by former President Donald Trump’s return to power. His administration has pursued an aggressive anti-transgender agenda, further emboldening conservative lawmakers.
On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order declaring that there are “only two sexes: male and female,” which he defined as biologically immutable and assigned at birth.
The order also mandates that government-issued identification documents, including passports and visas, can only reflect an individual’s sex assigned at birth.
Trump has gone even further by ordering the dismissal of transgender members of the military, declaring them incapable of maintaining an “honourable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle.”
Government departments have begun erasing references to transgender people, as seen in the National Park Service’s removal of mentions of transgender and queer individuals from the Stonewall Monument website.
Escalating Threats to Trans Rights
The Texas bill is just one of many alarming efforts to criminalise trans existence. With the Trump administration’s backing, Republican lawmakers are ramping up attacks on transgender rights, setting a dangerous precedent for the future.
