Sen. Marco Rubio proposes bill to protect healthcare workers, government employees who oppose transgender ideology

Sen. Marco Rubio proposed a new bill Wednesday to protect healthcare workers and government employees who disagree with radical gender ideology.

“It is deeply disturbing to see the progressive left infiltrate the American healthcare system and compromise the quality of patient care in the process,” said Rubio, R-Florida, in a press release. “I am introducing the Protecting Conscience in Healthcare Act to stop this harmful, radical gender ideology in American hospitals and healthcare facilities.” 

The bill prohibits healthcare or government employers from foisting transgender ideology upon employees by various means, including trainings or workshops, events, as a condition of employment, or through physical apparel. 

Employees also cannot be required to identify their own pronouns or use another’s “preferred pronouns” if the pronouns “conflict with the employee’s religious or moral beliefs, or the employee’s understanding of the relationship between sex and identity.”  

Recent polling indicates most Americans agree that gender is determined by a person’s sex assigned at birth. 

Finally, employees cannot be terminated for refusing to affirm a transgender identity.  

Rubio’s bill is cosponsored by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina and Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio.