by Rod Williams, Feb. 2, 2023- The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee (ACLU-TN) has condemned the passing of The Protecting Children from Gender Mutilation Act, (HB1/SB1) and promises legal action if the governor signs the bill into law.
While the ACLU has a history of taking positions favorable to liberals, on rare occasions they have taken principled stands to protect the rights of all Americans. On many of their free speech cases, I thought they were right. As distasteful as Nazi are, when the ACLU fought for the rights of Nazis to march in the Jewish neighborhood of Stokie, Illinois I agreed with their principled support for free speech. After all, it is unpopular positions that test our support for the Constitution, not popular positions. On a few occasions I have even donated to the ACLU.
Now in this era of cancel culture and the suppression of free speech on college campuses and persecution of conservative professors and students the ACLU is silent. Organizations like The Institue for Justice and others are more likely to be the biggest defenders of free speech and laws that discriminate against the poor and formerly incarcerated. The ACLU is no longer an organization devoted to free speech and justice.
Below is the press release from the ACLU promising to take legal action to overturn The Protecting Children from Gender Mutilation Act.
Nashville, Tenn. – Today the Tennessee House passed HB 1, which would ban the only evidence-based medical care for transgender people under 18. The legislation will next be sent to Governor Lee for his signature.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the ACLU, and Lambda Legal have promised the transgender youth of Tennessee and their families that they will bring immediate legal action against proposed restrictions on their health care should they be signed into law.
Any person at risk of being affected by these restrictions on gender-affirming care should reach out to https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/aclu-tn-legal-intake-form or https://www.lambdalegal.org/helpdesk.
Lucas Cameron-Vaughn, ACLU-TN staff attorney, had this reaction:
“We are deeply disturbed that state politicians have voted to interfere with the ability of families to make decisions, in consultation with medical professionals, to provide critical care for young people who are transgender. All Tennesseans should have access to the healthcare they need to survive and thrive. Gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth is safe, necessary, effective and often life-saving. Legislators are risking trans young people’s health, wellbeing and safety with this dangerous legislation. We urge Governor Lee to veto this overreaching, discriminatory bill, or we will see him in court.”
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