I live in Albemarle County and I oppose Petition 432.

This petition is not about locker rooms. 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. 

If the Board of Health acts on this petition, it will set a dangerous precedent discriminating against people without any factual basis and merely on ignorance and fear.

As a nurse and former middle school educator, I find the lack of understanding that seems to have permeated this misguided request repulsive. This request clearly demonstrates the ignorance of the submitters and shear lack of understanding and compassion that our transgender population truly deserve. Transgender people deserve all the same protections as everyone else with a medical diagnosis outside of the control of the individual. In my careers I have worked with many transgender men, women, boys and girls. They are genuinely the most compassionate, intelligent people I have had the pleasure to care for and educate. If only other groups were as productive and generous as the transgender men, women, boys and girls that I have worked with, this world and especially this country would be a much better place to live for all.

This petition has nothing to do with the health of Virginians and everything to do with discrimination and fear by those who have no compassion for their fellow human beings.

No one should face discrimination because of who they are. Trans people have always been here, and always will be. Trans people cannot and will not be erased. That is god's will.