ATLANTA — Backers of transgender rights are bracing for a rough upcoming session of the Georgia legislature as lawmakers have already laid some of the groundwork – with President-elect Donald Trump pushing it along.
The speakers at a state senate committee on Aug. 27 were collegiate swimmers sending a message that they don’t want women to compete against transgender athletes. That took place around the same time Donald Trump began to run ads attacking Democrats for supporting transgender Americans.
“Kamala even supports biological men who compete against our girls in their sports,” a TV ad intoned earlier this fall ahead of the presidential election.
With Trump’s election last month, transgender backers are bracing for much more of that in Georgia when lawmakers meet next month.
"Unfortunately, we do anticipate that we will see these attacks on kids continue. We may see them expand to other members of the transgender community. And other members of the LGBT community here in Georgia," said Jeff Graham of Georgia Equality.
Last legislative session, transgender Georgians and their backers filled the Capitol as senators passed a bill restricting medical treatments for transgender youth – and passed a bathroom bill.
Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford) said in March, during the previous session, that both bills had similar intentions.
"Simply we’re trying to protect girls in sports is simply what this bill does in changing rooms and restrooms," Dixon told the state senate on March 26.
Neither measure ended up becoming state law, but Graham expects that Trump’s visibility on the issue, plus that of Republican leadership at the state Capitol, will give anti-transgender bills new life next year.
"And the more time the legislature spends picking on transgender kids, the less time they have to focus on the issues that actually affect the lives of everyday Georgians," Graham said.
The 2025 legislative session begins Jan. 13, and Republicans could make these issues a priority very quickly.