AUSTIN, Texas — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick cast the debate over LGBTQ rights as a religious fight between God-fearing people and those who lack faith in a higher power.
In an interview on Mark Davis’ radio show Wednesday morning, Patrick, a Republican, expressed support for barring transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming medical treatments and reiterated his plan to mirror Florida’s efforts to ban the discussion of sexual orientation in classrooms. He said the Texas Senate, which he leads as president, will prioritize these issues during the 2023 session.
The interview was the clearest recent expression by Patrick, one of the most powerful elected leaders in the state, on the scope of issues he plans to target next year.
“If someone chooses to be gay, you know, that’s their lifestyle. Just don’t try to turn the world upside down about it,” Patrick said, touting law Texas legislators passed last year to restrict transgender children in sports.
He added: “If the LGBTQ has folks that want to do these things, they have to understand other people have rights too, and girls and women have rights, and parents have rights to say I don’t want my kindergarten, first or second grader to learn about being gay or lesbian or or they can change their sex.”
In February, Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a nonbinding opinion classifying certain medical treatments for transgender youth as child abuse. Citing Paxton’s opinion, Gov. Greg Abbott, also a Republican, directed CPS to investigate any allegations linked to this care. The state has since opened at least nine investigations into related allegations.
On Davis’ show, Patrick said he too believes these treatments amount to abuse and then pointed to Speaker of the Texas House Dade Phelan, a Republican, and other leadership in that chamber for the failure of some of bills related to LGBTQ issues.
“I’m not blaming them, but if you’re going to kill a bill over there in the House, then stand up and take credit for it,” he said. “It’s getting a little old, quite frankly. The House — not the members, but leadership — killing strong conservative legislation that passes the Senate.”
He said he hopes the transgender medical care bill and legislation to ban “teaching transgenderism and gayness in kindergarten first and second grade” becomes law next year.
Phelan spokesperson Cassi Pollock declined to comment.
Patrick, who wrote a book about his Christian faith, then described the discussion over issues like abortion and trans identity in more biblical terms.
“If you can take a life — just because you choose to — in the womb, well, then, you play God. If you can change your sex,” he said, “well, then, you play God.”
Patrick added: “This is a battle of those who believe that they are God and have control over life and death and even their sex, and those who believe there is a Creator, who believe in God, believe in Jesus Christ. Whatever their denomination is and their faith is, they believe there is a higher power who decides life and a higher power who designed us as human beings.”
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