With less than two months into the new year, 340 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in statehouses across the country with 150 specifically aimed to restrict the rights of our transgender community. 90 bills are attempting to prevent trans youth from being able to access age-appropriate, medically-necessary, best-practice health care & two have already become law in Utah & South Dakota with more bathroom ban bills filed than in any previous year. What’s even more alarming is that 28 of these anti-LGBTQ bills have already passed at least one chamber. Shevrin D. Jones Florida State Senator stated, “The Governor & lawmakers are turning transgender kids – our state's most vulnerable population – into a political football. It’s 2023, not 1963. Standing back is not an option. Just talking about the problem is not an option. We cannot sit back & just watch because these policies that are coming to Florida today will be in Texas tomorrow, will be in Arizona next week & will be in Tennessee the week after.” Libby Gonzales, a 12-year old transgender student in Texas concluded, “It really feels like my legislators want everyone to believe that kids like me don't really exist. They keep trying to convince everyone that I'm some kind of scary monster, or that I have something wrong with me. I'm tired & scared every time I go to the Capital. I think maybe this time it will make an impact, but every session is worse than the last. The people leading our government should want every kid to have a great childhood. Instead, they're the biggest bullies, continuing to take away my ability to play sports with my friends & now they want to take away my health care & call my parents, who love & protect me, child abusers.”
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