feels relevant <3
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Diana Tordoff diana.tordoff@gmail.com Date: Fri, Mar 26, 2021 at 9:14 AM
Friends and loves,
This week there is a campaign to raise awareness and take action against an onslaught of anti-trans legislation. Most of these bills aim to: (1) ban trans girls and women from sports (2) ban access to healthcare for trans youth under the age of 18, and in some states, under the age of 21 by making it a *felony* to provide gender affirming care to young people* and (3) Some of these bills (e.g. in Arkansas) ban insurance coverage for all trans people.
Please take action in one or more of the following ways!
*CALL OR EMAIL:*
- *Arkansas: *Call (334-242-7100) or email ( Asa.Hutchinson@governor.arkansas.gov) Gov. Asa Hutchinson to veto HB1570. *Note: the Gov already signed SB 354 into law, banning trans girls and women from sports.* - *South Dakota: *Call (334-242-7100) or email (governornoem@state.sd.us) Gov. Kristi Noem to stop HB1217. - *Alabama:* Call (334-242-7100) Gov. Kay Ivey to veto HB1/SB10 & HB391 - (see scripts below)
*DONATE: Can someone match my donations below?*
- $25 to inTRANSitive (Arkansas) Venmo @intransitive - $25 to the Transformation Project Advocacy Network (South Dakota) https://www.transadvocacysd.org/ - $25 to The Knights and Orchids Society (Alabama) https://www.tkosociety.com/ - $50 to ACLU link https://action.aclu.org/give/now?ms_aff=NAT&initms_aff=NAT&ms=web_horiz_nav_hp&initms=web_horiz_nav_hp&ms_chan=web&initms_chan=web&redirect=node/65102 - $50 to Trans Justice Funding Project https://www.transjusticefundingproject.org/
*SHARE AND RAISE AWARENESS: Forward this email, repost action plans (attached) on social media.* Also consider following Chase Strangio (@chasestrangio https://www.instagram.com/chasestrangio/) who gives frequent updates and has some great videos breaking down WHY this is happening now (e.g. all the might and money of the anti-same-sex marriage folks has shifted towards this) and precisely WHY these bills are so harmful and scary. These sports bill sets a particular scary precedent for controlling bodies and are the first examples of "biological sex"* being defined in the law.
D #LetKidsPlay #ProtectTransKids #TransWeekOfAction
* I'm currently on a study showing that providing access to blockers & hormones to youth reduced suiciabilty by 73% and severe depression by 60% within just one year. THIS CARE SAVES LIVES. ** which is not https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pGPYsd31ZOCaiHKi6nuAWm7CoD-Uqw6q/view?usp=sharing a real thing https://www.instagram.com/p/CMIjhXwh9j5/.
*OKAY NOW FOR THE SCRIPTS*
*Arkansas:* Dear Governor Hutchinson: I am writing because I oppose HB1570 and SB354. These bills cruelly target transgender youth in Arkansas who are just trying to live their lives and access the care recommended by their doctors and supported by their parents. Trans youth just want to go to school and play sports alongside their friends. I oppose HB1570, which interferes with trans youth and their families from being able to seek and access the healthcare they need. Parents, patients, and medical professionals – not politicians – should decide what medical care is in the best interest of any young person. Transgender young people thrive when they are supported by their family, school, and community; however, this bill would take away their personal treatment options, undermining the prevailing recommendations of every major medical association. I oppose SB354 because it needlessly targets trans women and girls in sports when lawmakers cannot even point to a single trans woman currently competing in Arkansas. It sends a harmful message to trans youth that they don’t belong and will invite costly litigation from private parties and the federal government. All of these bills will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tourism and business revenue. And most significantly, I am worried for my trans loved ones should these bills become law. Please stop this bill and veto any version of these bills that reach your desk. [Add any personal details] Sincerely, [Your name]
*South Dakota:* Dear Governor Noem: The style and form revisions to House Bill 1217 do not change the fact that HB 1217 is harmful to transgender South Dakotans and a violation of their constitutional rights and federal civil rights law. No matter what form this legislation takes, House Bill 1217 will do nothing to protect women in sports and will cause serious social and emotional damage to trans people. Please stop this bill and veto any version of it that is returned to you. [Add any personal details] Sincerely, [Your name]
*Alabama:* Dear Governor Ivey: I oppose anti-trans bills HB1 and SB10, which interfere with trans youth and their families from being able to seek and access the healthcare they need. Parents, patients, and medical professionals – not politicians – should decide what medical care is in the best interest of any young person. Transgender young people thrive when they are supported by their family, school, and community; however, these bills would take away their personal treatment options, undermining the prevailing recommendations of every major medical association. [Add any personal details] I ask that you oppose HB1/SB10, too. These bills would make it harder for parents and medical providers to support transgender youth, criminalize best-practice medical care, and cost potentially millions in lawsuits if passed. Let parents and youth decide what is best for themselves. Sincerely, [First Name] [Last Name]
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*Diana Tordoff, MPH, PhDc *(she/her)
www.dianatordoff.com
