California: Up to a year in jail for refusing a transgender’s preferred pronoun
A new bill being considered by the California State Senate would punish people who “willfully and repeatedly” refuse “to use a transgender resident’s preferred name or pronouns” in a public health, retirement or housing institution.
The bill, SB 219, was proposed by State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). It includes several other provisions that require a health facility, for example, to honor the gender identity of a patient, meaning that the patient must be admitted to a room that comports with his or her chosen gender; allowed to use whatever bathroom he or she wants to use; and wear whatever clothing or cosmetics he or she decides to wear. It has gone through several amendments.
CBN News notes: “Fines for repeat offenders could be as high as $1,000 and a jail term of up to a year.”
CBN also reports the testimony of the California Family Council’s Greg Burt:
How can you believe in free speech, but think the government can compel people to use certain pronouns when talking to others? … This is not tolerance. This is not love. This is not mutual respect.
