- Apr 14, 2020
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Texas Administrative Code
I'm seeing absolute hysteria from the liberal media over this decision. This portion of the code is the cause of contention:
" (1) A social worker shall not refuse to perform any act or service for which the person is licensed solely on the basis of a client's age; gender; race; color; religion; national origin; disability; sexual orientation; gender identity and expression; or political affiliation."
In summary, the code is being amended to remove the terms "disability", "sexual orientation" and "gender identity and expression". The latter two will be replaced with simply the term "sex", from what I understand. The reason stated by Governor Abbott is that these comprise "extra" protections that aren't necessary, since the rest of the Code and the existing state laws already provide protections for all citizens.
Of course, most of the articles about this are simply screaming things like, "Texas Social Workers Can Now Turn Away Disabled and LGBT Clients". No, they can't. These populations are still protected under existing law. There is not going to be a single social worker who denies someone Medicaid or food benefits because they're gay or in a wheelchair.
As someone who's worked for my own state's Department of Health & Social Services for the past 16 years, I'm genuinely curious what sort of scenario these media outlets and pro-LGBT groups are envisioning. Throngs of disabled people banging on the doors of social service offices and being told, "Nope, sorry, you're disabled"? A gay client being denied Medicaid simply for being gay? That doesn't happen. It's not going to happen. The backlash for any social worker who would even dare do such a thing would be severe. Not only would that be fuel for lawsuits, but they'd almost certainly lose their job.
I'm seeing absolute hysteria from the liberal media over this decision. This portion of the code is the cause of contention:
" (1) A social worker shall not refuse to perform any act or service for which the person is licensed solely on the basis of a client's age; gender; race; color; religion; national origin; disability; sexual orientation; gender identity and expression; or political affiliation."
In summary, the code is being amended to remove the terms "disability", "sexual orientation" and "gender identity and expression". The latter two will be replaced with simply the term "sex", from what I understand. The reason stated by Governor Abbott is that these comprise "extra" protections that aren't necessary, since the rest of the Code and the existing state laws already provide protections for all citizens.
Of course, most of the articles about this are simply screaming things like, "Texas Social Workers Can Now Turn Away Disabled and LGBT Clients". No, they can't. These populations are still protected under existing law. There is not going to be a single social worker who denies someone Medicaid or food benefits because they're gay or in a wheelchair.
As someone who's worked for my own state's Department of Health & Social Services for the past 16 years, I'm genuinely curious what sort of scenario these media outlets and pro-LGBT groups are envisioning. Throngs of disabled people banging on the doors of social service offices and being told, "Nope, sorry, you're disabled"? A gay client being denied Medicaid simply for being gay? That doesn't happen. It's not going to happen. The backlash for any social worker who would even dare do such a thing would be severe. Not only would that be fuel for lawsuits, but they'd almost certainly lose their job.
