I’m a marketing professor who has worked for Georgia for decades. I finished up a day of teaching classes recently to find that the state Senate had voted overwhelmingly for Senate Bill 39 to deny most of my health coverage and coverage for other state employees like me.
I contribute almost a thousand dollars every pay period for my insurance. The state contributes, like most employers, but make no mistake, I pay for my family’s health insurance.
SB 39 states that Georgia shouldn’t insure gender-affirming health care for your teachers, first responders, government workers and other state employees and their families of all ages through the State Health Benefit Plan. It would also make even related care subject to denial.
For example, if a state employee needs therapy, it’s insured. Under this bill, that wouldn’t be covered for me.
I know that because an amendment was proposed in the Senate not to exclude mental health coverage. It was voted down along party lines. Related care is similarly missing. I apologize if this seems like TMI, but it’s important — would my annual mammogram still be covered? What if I got cancer?
It was argued that this is a simple bill. It’s really, really not.
Ironically, SB 39 isn’t even about the underlying facts of what Georgia spends on its trans employees’ health care, or even how many of us there are. That supporting data has been immaterial to the bill’s discussion.
Trans people aren’t the stereotypes peddled in political attack ads. We’re your teachers, family, co-workers, and peers.
I’m a college professor in Middle Georgia, at arguably one of the best teaching universities in the University System of Georgia. This is my 20th year in that role, almost half of which I’ve taught since transitioning. My students, even the ones who’ve never known a trans person before, consistently review my classes as among the best they’ve taken.
I’ve taught literally thousands of Georgians, and I’m arguably very good at it. I’m a Georgia Governor’s Teaching Fellow, an honor given to only about two dozen professors a year. In fact, Gov. Kemp personally congratulated me when I was inducted into the USG’s Felton Jenkins Jr. Teaching Hall of Fame, an exceptionally rare distinction.
Like many people, I work hard and look forward to getting home to my family for dinner and maybe a chance for us to stream a movie together. I understand how my being trans may not feel relatable, but I’m also your longtime neighbor.
I was born here. I went to Riverwood and got degrees from both UGA and Georgia Tech. I can quickly order two-dogs-walking-and-a-bag-o’-rags. I remember when the Omni was new, SnowJam ‘82 and Atlanta ‘96. I’ve used “y’all” fluidly my entire life.
I’m not arguing that I should have insurance because I’m a Georgian who’s been paying into this system for decades. I’m arguing that SB 39 would put politicians between me and my doctors, between other patients and their providers. That’s a slippery slope. It’s government overreach into private medical decisions from politicians who position themselves as being for limited government.
Insurance is there for us for necessary care. The premiums I pay help cover other Georgians. For example, we all pay when a weekend warrior blows out a knee doing extreme sports, or when someone cheats on their spouse and gets a sexually transmitted disease. My premiums help pay for them.
I don’t understand or agree with those choices, but we’re taught to judge not, right? The approval for that treatment is made by doctors — not me, not politicians. Together, insurance allows us to do our jobs to help our state.
SB 39 isn’t only mean-spirited, it’s not even Southern. We treat people better than that.
This law will discourage good people in Georgia from going into public service, and it’ll keep other good employees, including teachers, from considering Georgia in the first place. It could also force some people to leave. It won’t reduce insurance costs, but it will drive up our legal fees as Georgia fends off legitimate claims of obvious discrimination.
I’ve dedicated my life to my family and to learning and teaching in Georgia. I shouldn’t lose my medical care as collateral damage in a political fight.
But, if your response is that I’m free to leave, I was probably here first. I’ve been here more than a half-century, helping others and building a life in Georgia.
And to our elected leaders — you can do better. Please focus on the real problems our state faces. This isn’t one of them.
Credit: Joanna Schwartz/contributor
Credit: Joanna Schwartz/contributor
Dr. Joanna Schwartz is a professor of marketing at Georgia College and State University. The opinion here is hers alone and doesn’t reflect the position of Georgia College and State University or the University System of Georgia.
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