" I realise what intersex was at the age of 11 . then again I had empathy at that geezerhood sooo . "
Well, now GOP lawmakers are following in Trump’s footsteps. A Republican lawmaker, Andy Hopper, recently proposed an amendment tocut state funding for LGBTQ+ programsat the University of Texas at Austin, and was called out for being completely uneducated on basic LGBTQ+ terms.
“The purpose of this amendment is to reduce government funding to the University of Texas in Austin. Despite repeated calls by our President, our governor, and our legislature, the University of Texas continues to put out an outsized focus offering degree programs and courses in lesbian, gay, and bisexual, transgender queer studies, and has continued a pattern of teaching discrimination hidden behind the words diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Hopper said in the video.
“There are also programs that deny the unchangeable biological reality that there are only two sexes, male and female. These programs and by extension this university shall not be funded by tax dollars.”
Texas State Representative Lauren Ashley Simmons asked Hopper for clarification about his amendment. “Are you speaking about biological sex or gender? Because one is scientific and one is a social construct?”
“They’re one and the same, ma’am,” Hopper replied.
“…That’s not true. But, moving on. OK, so, in the same vein, what about intersex individuals?”
“I don’t even know what that means, ma’am. I mean, I would like an explanation; please explain it.”
“So….I’ll take it really slow. Since the beginning of time, people have been born with either ambiguous genitalia, or with or without ovaries, both, and so those people from a biological standpoint exist, they’re not mythical. It’s not something we’re making up, which is why I asked you are you speaking about gender or sexuality?”
“So, gender is not a social construct. It’s firmly rooted in biological reality.”
“Again, so intersex people…what about them?”
“Yeah, could you explain it one more time, I think we all would like to have an explanation where we can understand we’re not quite following.”
“So, you are not sure what intersex people are, if they exist or not, but you want to defund a program about something that you don’t quite understand?”
“Yeah, so the truth that is written in our Biblical understanding that God set forth from the beginning of creation is that your gender is fixed at birth, and you cannot change it.”
“Again…where do intersex people fall into that equation?”
“Yeah, those intersex individuals are still XX or XY, so you can’t change that.“Rep. Valoree Swansonwas then seen tugging on Hopper’s sleeve and whispering to him, “Andy, that’s not true.”
For context, Hopper’s claims are absolutely not true.Intersexis a term used for a person who is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit the typical “female” or “male” categories. Intersex people can be born withchromosomes outside of the typical XX or XY.According toPlanned Parenthood, it is estimated that 1–2 people born in the US out of every 100 are intersex.
“WHY IS HE TRYNA CUT LGBTQ+ PROGRAMS IF HE DOESNT KNOW WHAT INTERSEX IS,” this person questioned.
As this person said, “HE DOESNT EVEN KNOW WHAT HES TALKING ABOUT.”
“I understood what intersex was at the age of 11. then again I had empathy at that age sooo,” this person wrote.
“He was already wrong, but even bringing up the Bible automatically disqualified his opinion,” one person wrote. “Religion should not be used as a reason to take things away from people by our government.”
“why do our lives depend on what their religious beliefs are!?” this person agreed.
“The people with the panicked whispers behind him who just googled ‘intersex’ for the first time in their lives,” another person joked.
