Colorado debates bill to use students' preferred name regardless of gender

The Democratic-led state House is expected this week to give final approval to legislation that makes it discriminatory for schools not to use an individual's chosen name in line with their gender identity.

• The bill came at the request of students on the state's Youth Advisory Council. No legal name change is necessary, and parents are not required to be informed.

Zoom in: The initial debate Friday on the bill went for three hours and became contentious with outbursts from the audience in the House gallery and an emotional speech from the Legislature's lone transgender lawmaker, Rep. Brianna Titone, in which she declared: "I have a right to exist, too."

• The remark came after Republican lawmakers opposed to the legislation used anti-trans rhetoric.
• Others argued the bill would deceive parents and force teachers to use speech "that is unhealthy," as Rep. Scott Bottoms (R-Colorado Springs) put it.
• "Let the kids who are comfortable with who they are be the kids they want to be," replied Titone, an Arvada Democrat who is one of the first openly transgender lawmakers elected nationwide.

The big picture: The debate also invoked the death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old from a small Oklahoma town who used they/them pronouns, which put attention on anti-transgender laws.

• Colorado advocates suggested that using a child's preferred name could help prevent bullying or even being killed.

What's next: Once approved by the House, the measure moves to the Democratic-controlled state Senate for a vote.