I live in Richmond City and I oppose Action 4905.

The Board of Health has no business labeling groups of people harmful based on who they are. 

There are real public health issues facing women and girls in Virginia, like domestic violence, maternal health, and poverty. Don’t let this hateful petition distract from your important mission to protect the health and promote the well-being of ALL people in Virginia.

Across our races, backgrounds, and genders, we all deserve to be treated fairly. There is a nationwide effort by some politicians and interest groups to force transgender people and LGBTQ+ people out of public life. These political attacks harm us all, whether we’re gay or straight, transgender or not, because they foster discrimination and distract us from the real problems we face. 

When I was in school, participating in sports gave me so much joy and helped shaped me into the adult that I am proud to be today. I learned how to dedicate myself to a goal and work hard to accomplish it alongside my teammates, some of whom became lifelong friends. I didn’t realize that I was trans until later in life, but I can’t imagine those experiences being taken away from me when they felt so core to my being, my social life, and my education. 

This proposed regulation has nothing to do with the health of Virginians and everything to do with discrimination. No one should face discrimination because of who they are. Trans people have always been here, and always will be.