Senate Bill 185 is a bill that bans gender-affirming care for prisoners under the supervision of the Georgia Department of Corrections. This bill is one of five by the Georgia Republicans targeted to the trans community. The House Minority Leader, State Rep. Carolyn Hugley, led the caucus out of the chamber as the Republicans began promoting their bill. Colloquially, the action is called ‘taking a walk.’ It was a stunning display of defiance. “Rather than focusing on the real issues that Georgians are facing, Republicans under the Gold Dome have spent their time legislating hate and bullying marginalized communities. Today, House Democrats had enough of their worthless culture wars and walked out of the chamber,” said Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley. Currently, there are an estimated five currently incarcerated Georgians that are seeking gender-affirming care. The term gender-affirming care can fall under hormone pills or surgeries. According to the bill, it would ban the following: “sex reassignment surgeries,” hormone replacement therapy, or other surgeries “intended to alter the appearance of primary or secondary sexual characteristics.”During the walkout, Democrats voiced their displeasure of the Georgia GOP and their culture wars. “Nothing Republicans have done this session will help the everyday Georgians struggling with rising costs, unaffordable healthcare, and an underfunded education system,” continued Hugley. “Instead of putting Georgians first, Georgia Republicans have made it clear that they will always put politics over people and party before policy. As legislators, we should be working for the people, not scoring cheap political points.”Georgia State Reps. LC Myles, Viola Davis, Sandra Scott, Al Williams, Debra Bezemore and Karen Bennett protest Senate Bill 185 on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 inside the Georgia State Capitol. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)Republicans did not like the fact Democrats walked outWhile the Democrats were taking the walk, Republicans were left feeling angry. During debate, albeit to their caucus, they felt Democrats were pushing state-sponsored gender reassignment surgeries. They beamoned the idea of House Democrats not participating in the debate. Even though they hold twenty more seats than the Democrats, the House GOP felt the Democrats abdicated their responsibility.“This is probably the most disheartening moment I’ve ever had in my service here as a member of the House,” said House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration. “To see members flee the chamber because they are unwilling to actually represent their constituency, put the vote on the board and let it be known to all Georgians where they stand is incredibly disappointing.”The last time such a walkout happened was in 2019 over an anti-abortion bill. But, this walkout was a coordinated effort of the Georgia House Democrats.State Reps. Lynn Heffner of Augusta, Tangie Herring of Macon and Dexter Sharper of Augusta did not walkout. Each voted for the bill. Democratic Reps. David Sampson and Rep. Regina Lewis Ward voted against the measure. All totaled, 71 Democrats took the walk. Past is definitely prologue for the Georgia GOPIn the past, Georgia Republicans have consistently made anti-transgender legislation one of their legislative priorities. The next year, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a law banning trans girls from participating in high school sports. In 2023, the Georgia Legislature passed a bill banning gender-affirming therapies for children. State Rep. Omari Crawford’s bill regarding mental health in sports got hijacked by Senate Republicans in 2024. They inserted language that includes bathroom restrictions, transgender sports bans, and restrictions on when children can learn about sex education. “On behalf of the 60,000 strong I represent, please stop wasting their time,” said Georgia Minority House Caucus Chair, Tanya Miller. “Stop playing in their faces. Stop manufacturing crises. Stop making up stuff that nobody asked you for. Stop planting seeds of division in our communities. Stop picking on people. Let transgender people live.”The post Georgia House Democrats ‘walked out’ of the Legislature as they protest bill targeting trans Georgians appeared first on The Atlanta Voice. ...read more read less