During a Texas House budget debate, a Republican representative, Andy Hopper, exhibited a troubling ignorance of LGBTQ+ issues while discussing funding for the University of Texas at Austin. Democratic Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons challenged Hopper on his comments linking chromosomes directly to gender. Hopper's inability to understand the concept of intersex individuals led to a viral moment that underscores the disconnect between conservative lawmakers and the complexities of LGBTQ+ identities. This incident has fueled discussions about the importance of informed representation in legislative matters.
"Are you speaking about biological sex? Or are you speaking about gender? 'Cause one is scientific, one is a social construct," Simmons said, adding, "'Cause I have a follow up question after."
"I don't even know what that means, ma'am," replied Hopper as he struggled to answer a question about intersex individuals.
"You are not sure what intersex people are, if they exist or not, but you want to defund a program about something that you don't understand," she stated.
"Those intersex individuals are still XX or XY. So, you can't change that," Hopper asserted, showcasing his misunderstanding of intersex identities.
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