Amid a heated special legislative session in Texas, House Bill 32, dubbed a “bathroom bill” and proposed under the guise of protecting women, has sparked outrage among lawmakers, activists, and cisgender women. Critics gathered at the Capitol on July 23 to denounce the bill as a political distraction designed to deflect attention from mid-decade redistricting efforts aimed at consolidating Republican power. Former Senator Wendy Davis called out the tactic, warning that Republican leaders are once again using women’s bodies and marginalized communities to stoke fear and mask a partisan agenda.
According to The Texas Signal Media Foundation, the State has a contentious history with such legislation. A similar bathroom bill failed in 2017, but key figures like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick claimed symbolic victories. Now, the issue has resurfaced with a renewed push, despite widespread concerns that it endangers transgender people rather than ensuring safety.
Two openly LGBTQ lawmakers, Rep. Jessica González and Sen. Molly Cook, spoke passionately about the dangers of this bill. González recounted personal experiences of harassment in public restrooms, highlighting the pervasive scrutiny faced by gender-nonconforming individuals. Cook, drawing from her work as an emergency room nurse, rejected the bill’s framing as protective. Instead, she argued it exploits survivors of violence while ignoring real public safety concerns.
Activists like Kimiya Factory broadened the conversation, criticizing lawmakers for prioritizing performative culture wars over urgent crises in Texas, like immigration raids, flooding, and maternal health inequities.
“I’m concerned about Immigration and Customs Enforcement hunting families like game in broad daylight. I’m concerned about the violation of constitutional rights, the lack of funding and emergency infrastructure resulting in deaths and floods in the state of Texas, about a Black woman’s body being a corpse at the hands of the state legislature because of reproductive access being cut,” he said.
Data supports these concerns. According to the Williams Institute, transgender individuals are far more likely to experience violence, and less likely to report it to law enforcement. Regulations like HB 32 exacerbate their vulnerability by increasing stigma and surveillance. The rally at the Capitol was a call not just to oppose a bill, but to demand dignity, safety, and justice for all Texans.
