Transgender Louisianans lost their ally in the governor's seat. Now they're girding for a fight

(23 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baton Rouge, Louisiana - 16 April 2024
1. Wide exterior of Louisiana State Capitol
2. Close up of SarahJane Guidry watching floor debates
3. SOUNDBITE (English) SarahJane Guidry, Executive Director, Forum for Equality:
"We have two bills here on the house floor today that will be debating LGBTQ youth, the 'don't say gay' bill as well as a bill that would allow teachers and administrators to dead name students and not use their preferred pronouns even if their parents allow for it."
4. Various of House floor
5. SOUNDBITE (English) SarahJane Guidry, Executive Director, Forum for Equality:
"And so we absolutely know that with the governor and with this legislature they're their priority is to make these bills move and we've seen that over and over again even over the past few years so yes these bills are going to become law and that is such a tragedy but it doesn't end there and that we're going to continue to fight against them."
6. Tight of Louisiana state flag
7. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Raymond Crews, R-Louisiana:
"The learning environment is there for the teachers and students to be able to confer on things like reading, writing, arithmetic and it's not a place really for social engineering or any kind of introduction of new ideas that should be really fronted before the parents first."
8. Various of Arielle Leighton reading on Capitol steps
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Arielle Leighton, 8th grader:
"Oh gosh, teachers, yeah they're fine, they're cool with me being the way I am but then the students, no, they find out I'm a boy or they found out I was originally a boy or they find out my legal name. They don't stop calling me my new legal name and they always go like he, he, he. One time I was literally just walking through the hall way and people started barking at me like I was a different creature."
10. Wide of Leighton reading on Capitol steps
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Arielle Leighton, 8th grader:
"I really hope that people learn that just because we are like changing our gender that doesn't mean we're different people. It's like someone putting on makeup. It makes their appearance different and it could change their personality a tiny bit but they're still them."
12. Wide of House floor
13. SOUNDBITE (English) State Rep. Denise Marcelle, D-Louisiana:
"What you choose to do, I may not choose to do but that does not mean that I should have put a mark on your back as a child and have you being bullied at school."
14. Votes being cast, House Bill 121 passes
STORYLINE:
Unlike last year when there was an LGBTQ+ ally in the Louisiana governor's office, there is nothing standing in the way this year of legislation hostile to transgender people.
Former Gov. John Bel Edwards was able to block most such legislation last year through vetoes.
Now conservative Republican Jeff Landry is in the governor's chair, and the legislation is advancing rapidly.
Transgender advocates in Louisiana are organizing their fight, looking to the courts, educating their communities, seeking sanctuary city policies, and recruiting residents to their cause.
One advocate says “we are going to continue to fight.”
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[@joeschmooz-it6nh]

Doesn't matter how much they, "Gird up to fight". This issue is D.O.A....on the floor of this Louisiana Senate.