Clock Ticking On Unjust HB 1008 Signing By SD Governor

The unjust HB 1008 has been sent to South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard's (R) desk for his signature, and he has until March 1 to act on it.

It was passed on a 20-15 vote out of the GOP controlled Senate and 58-10 a month ago in the GOP controlled house, and is now awaiting action from Governor Daugaard.

He can either: (A) veto it, (B) be a bold GOP trans oppressor and sign the unjust bill into law, or (C) take the political coward's way out and let the bill become law without his signature.

I'm expecting option C to happen.  I'm under no illusions that Republicans will do the right thing when it comes to the human rights of groups they don't like and wish to oppress.

The South Dakota trans community and their allies are hoping that their governor will do the right thing and veto the bill, and yesterday showed up in their state capitol of Pierre to demonstrate their opposition to the bill.   Petitions have also popped up with over 80,000 signatures and urging him to not sign the unjust law

Even Wayne Maines, the father of trans teen Nicole Maines who fought a successful protracted legal battle over bathroom access for his trans daughter, urged the governor in an open letter to veto the unjust legislation

“Transgender children across the nation go to school everyday afraid – a survey by the HRC Foundation found that three-quarters of transgender students feel unsafe in school settings. They sit in class and learn about powerful words, like courage, freedom and equality. Words that transgender people know well and dream will one day be true. Words that some of our leaders talk about but have forgotten how to use. If I could meet with you and your fellow governors, I would sit down with you and ask, ‘What are you afraid of?’ These kids just want to go to the bathroom, maybe visit with their friends to discuss their day, to laugh and just be kids. Why does it have to so hard? Their classmates do not care and they are not afraid. It is time to listen, watch and learn from them to understand that being transgender is not a big deal.”

A group of trans students had a closed door meeting with Governor Daugaard yesterday, and the trans community's most well known Republican in Caitlyn Jenner took to Twitter to urge the governor to do the right thing and veto it.

We'll see what happens over the next few days in Pierre if South Dakota decides to continue down the destructive road at the behest of out of state hate groups and their GOP controlled legislature to legislate oppression of trans people.