Colorado voters approved two ballot measures concerning transgender minors and school sports, proposals that opponents said could foster hostility toward LGBTQ people.
Proposition 135 asked voters whether to prohibit medical professionals from providing surgeries to people under 18 intended to alter biological sex characteristics. It also bars public funds and insurance coverage from paying for those procedures. About 52% voted in favor.
The campaign was heavily lopsided financially: more than $4.4 million went to the campaign opposing the measure, compared with just over $215,000 for supporters, according to Ballotpedia. Before the vote, 27 states had laws or policies restricting such surgeries for minors. California and New York were among states without those restrictions.
Progressive advocacy groups opposed Proposition 135 and Proposition 134, which would require school sports teams to be separated by gender. Colorado Sun columnist Mario Nicolais argued that passing the measures would make the state a “hate state,” saying transgender people are not transgender “on a whim” or simply to participate in sports.
Proposition 134 also passed. It bars people with male reproductive systems from competing on female school sports teams, and received 52.3% of the vote, compared with 47.7% against.
