March 27, 2026 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

Opinion: How HB-3399 tried to impact the trans community

XAVIER ROSENBAUM REPORTER

Texas House Bill 3399 was an antitransgender adult bill that was filed and failed to put into effect. This bill served as a revision to a previously existing heading to subchapter X, chapter 161 of the health and safety code.

The original text was phrased to prevent the administering of gender affirming medical procedures to youth who were under the age of 18.

Chapter 161 of the Health and Safety Code prevented the provision of any form of gender reassignment or transitioning from the child's biological gender. In tandem with this, no health care provider would be permitted to do several medical surgeries including: vasectomies, hysterectomies, phalloplasty, vaginoplasty, among other such surgical procedures.

The second prohibition was the prescription or administering of: any puberty suppression or blocking medicine, testosterone to anyone biologically female, doses of estrogen to anyone biologically male.

On top of the prohibition of providing or prescribing any of these medicines to people based on their biological gender, they also forbade physicians from removing any healthy or non-diseased parts or tissue.

This is a clear attack on transgender people. Previously this chapter of the Health and Safety Code was focused on the transgender youth, the prevision of this bill shifts the target to transgender individuals as a whole.

Following this prohibition of many gender affirming care procedures and prescriptions, this revision posed by House Bill 3399 also prohibited the use of public money for these purposes.

House Bill 3399 States that public money may not be used (directly or indirectly) by any healthcare provider, medical school or any other organization that administers any of the

The Texas House of Representatives at Austin, Texas, March 25.

previously mentioned care.

On top of this medical aid such as medicare may not provide any assistance in paying for any of the actions previously discussed given with the intention of altering someone's gender to one that does not match their biological gender.

House Bill 3399 was filed in the house of Feb. 26, 2025, and was ultimately sent to the public health committee on Mar. 21 of that year. Ultimately the house bill never went into effect.

Despite the failure to be put into effect this house bill being proposed should raise concern among the transgender and queer communities, it is vital that these communities rally to support and enable one

another to vote within all elections they are able to. Through the use of the community voices we can fight for change and advocate for the rights and better treatment of our communities!

Vol. 90 | No. 9

Midwestern State University

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COURTESY OF GABRIEL C. PÉRWEZ | KUT NEWS

COURTESY OF NICEPNG Collage made by Sana Hussain

SANA HUSSAIN MANAGING EDITOR

FRamadan in Wichita Falls

or a Muslim student in a city like Wichita Falls, the sunset hour during Ramadan can be the loneliest time of the day. While the month is defined by fasting, it is fueled by community, a resource that can feel scarce when you are miles away from home.

As a graduate student at MSU, I know the reality for many of us is a grueling schedule. Between back-to-back classes, co-curriculars and work, many days pass where students simply do not have the time to prepare a meal. We are often still in a lab or at a desk when the sun goes down, facing the prospect of breaking a fast alone with whatever is nearby.

This is why the local Muslim community's efforts this Ramadan have been more than just a convenience; they have been a blessing.

Every weekday, the local Muslim community hall hosts iftar (the meal to break the fast) specifically for those of us without families in town. On the weekends, the gathering grows, moving to the Azad Masjid to include local families and a wider circle of residents.

Walking into these spaces and seeing a meal waiting for you after a long day is an incredible relief. But the food is only half of the story.

The true value is the atmosphere. After the

meal, the sounds of children playing soccer or hide-and-seek echo through the area. The adults sit with a cup of Chai or Gahwa over insightful conversations.

In those moments, the "student" label fades away. You are not just a commuter or a traveler; you are part of a household.

Wichita Falls may not have the massive Muslim populations of Dallas or Arlington, but there is a distinct advantage to our size: everyone knows everyone. We are not just neighbors; we are brothers and sisters. That sense of belonging fills a gap that even the best meal could not.

However, being a student during this holy month also highlights what we still lack. For commuter students especially, being "stuck" on campus without a dedicated prayer space is a persistent challenge. While the community hall and the Masjid provide a home off-campus, the need for a quiet, reflective space within the university remains a priority for many of us as many of us do not have cars.

As Ramadan 2026 comes to a close, I am reminded that "home" is not always a place you travel to for the holidays. Sometimes, it is the community that makes sure you never have to break a fast alone.

Eid Mubarak to our readers!

SGA hosted event for seniors to decorate their graduation caps

XAVIER ROSENBAUM REPORTER

The Student Government Association (SGA) held a graduation cap decorating event for the graduating seniors so they could add their touch of personality to them in preparation for walking the stage. There was a lower turnout than expected.

Alan Mojica is a health administration senior. Mojica was very social and took advantage of the variety of events and organizations during his time here at MSU.

Within his time here he engaged with campus by working for housing and partaking in events and organizations such as the Spanish and Philosophy clubs. His time with these groups helped improve his professionalism and versatility, two skills vital to life post grad.

Mojica had a busy four years at MSU due to his high involvement on campus. His involvement paired with the extensive efforts of professors helped him feel secure and equipped in tackling life after MSU. He is very relaxed over his graduation and excited for the future.

Makyra Spencer is a political science major senior. She intends to attend law

school but is quite intimidated due to her age. She claims that the age at which she is planning to enter law school is much younger than most people usually enter and worries about the pressure and challenges that may bring.

Spencer feels lots of anxiety regarding her entry into law

school due to its competitive nature, but despite this is quite thrilled to have the opportunity and looks forward to attending.

Within her time here at MSU she feels the events were plentiful and provided ample opportunity to socialize and network. Despite this the majority of the events had a heavy catering towards students within business and nursing, as a consequence of this she as left feeling hopeless and unseen.

However, she claims handshake did a wonderful job of counteracting this and helped encourage and push her to make professional connections and aided in her networking. Overall Spencer is thrilled at her prospects for post graduation but this is paired with anxiety regarding the challenges she may face.

Overall the senior student body here at MSU feels like they were provided with many opportunities to network, socialize and navigate professional situations to secure a job or further educational advancement within their time here. Many of these students feel very secure in their skillsets and believe the wonderful professors aided them extensively in acquiring and mastering skills that they may apply to the workforce.

The senior student body is generally very excited and nervous about graduation. These students have worked unbelievably hard and are out to make an impact on the world, thanks to the quality education and skills they were equipped with thanks to their time at MSU.

SANA HUSSAIN | THE WICHITAN

Azad Masjid was built in 1996, March 25.

ASTRITH ALVAREZ | THE WICHITAN

Alan Mojica decorates his graduation cap with fellow seniors, March 4.

Safe Spring Break