‘Take a walk!’ Georgia Dems walk out 'en masse' in defiance of GOP bill

Democratic state legislators in Georgia walked out en masse as their Republican colleagues advanced measures that would end gender-affirming care for state prisoners, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Greg Bluestein reported Wednesday.

The Republican-backed legislation also bans state healthcare facilities and physicians from providing gender-affirming treatments, according to media reports. It spurred House Democrats to stream out of the chambers Wednesday, hours after a legislative committee moved the bill forward.

Video of the walkout shows Georgia Democrats filing out of the House chamber one by one as supporters applauded. Moments later, House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley led Democrats in a spirited pep talk where she encouraged members to chant, “Talk a walk!”

“If we’re not going to take care of the education of our community, we might as well…” she said as the members in front of her yelled, "Take a walk!"

“If we’re not going to do things that our people sent us here to do, you might as well get your exercise and do what? ‘Take a walk!’”

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She added: “They want to legalize discrimination and we will not stand for it. We’re going to let them do that on their own because we prefer to do what? ‘Take a walk!’”

House Speaker Jon Burns (R-GA) stood by the bill, which Republicans argue is vital to avoid legal challenges and tighten state spending, the Savannah Morning News reported. Democrats, meanwhile, have challenged the bill as unconstitutional.

“The House Majority Caucus was proud to stand for common sense and fiscal responsibility by voting to prevent your hard-earned tax dollars from funding sex change surgeries for prisoners,” Burns wrote Wednesday on X.

Watch the clip below or at this link.