Progressives in the Colorado House and Senate are facing a lawsuit from conservative groups over the mandatory use of preferred pronouns, claiming that it violates their First Amendment rights. The lawsuit was filed by the Institute for Free Speech on behalf of Gays Against Groomers and the Rocky Mountain Women’s Network, who were allegedly silenced during public hearings for a bill called “Tiara’s Law.” This bill would make it easier for transgender felons to change their name, and is still being discussed in the legislature.
The lawsuit alleges that Colorado lawmakers are trying to silence critics of transgender ideology by prescribing how they are allowed to present their views during public testimony. Individuals are required to use preferred pronouns and refrain from “deadnaming,” which is using someone’s birth name instead of their chosen name. Critics argue that this restricts their ability to have a fair and open debate about transgender issues. The groups behind the lawsuit claim that lawmakers are abusing their authority by enforcing these speech requirements.
The bill that sparked the controversy, “Tiara’s Law,” was named after a transgender woman with a criminal history, which Republicans argued was inappropriate. The bill is just one of several pieces of legislation related to transgender individuals that are currently under consideration in the Colorado Legislature. Lawmakers have also proposed a bill that would create a category for gender-based hate crimes. The lawsuit alleges that lawmakers are trampling on the First Amendment rights of critics of transgender ideology by enforcing speech requirements during public testimony.
Critics of the mandatory pronoun use argue that it is undemocratic and inappropriate for lawmakers to dictate how citizens express their views on transgender issues. The groups behind the lawsuit claim that the Democrats in the Colorado House and Senate are trying to control the public debate about transgenderism by requiring individuals to adhere to certain speech requirements during public hearings. The lawsuit alleges that lawmakers are preventing individuals from giving public testimony if they do not conform to these requirements, which they argue is a violation of their First Amendment rights.
The lawsuit names several Democratic lawmakers as defendants, including Rep. Lorena Garcia and Sen. Julie Gonzales. The plaintiffs argue that lawmakers are forcing Americans to express fealty to transgender ideology under the guise of civility and decorum. By prohibiting misgendering and deadnaming, critics of transgender ideology are being prevented from fairly debating their ideas. The plaintiffs claim that the speech requirements imposed by lawmakers are unlawful and are an attempt to silence critics of transgender ideology. Lawmakers named in the lawsuit have not responded to requests for comment.
