House passes restrictions on teaching about gender dysphoria

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota representatives have approved a bill to prohibit public school instruction about gender dysphoria through seventh grade.

The House voted 39-30 Tuesday to send the bill to the state Senate. Republican Rep. Tom Pischke, the sponsor, says the intent of the measure is to make sure that public schools aren’t “teaching and confusing our young children to be more susceptible to this dysphoria.”

Democratic Rep. Kelly Sullivan says such legislation that targets transgender kids is discrimination.

Gender dysphoria is a medically recognized condition defined by discomfort or distress caused by a discrepancy between the gender that a person identifies as and the gender at birth.

The measure originally sought to ban teaching about gender identity or expression, but was changed in a House panel last week. A similar proposal was scuttled last year.

AP-WF-02-13-19