I strongly oppose this petition. The petition to change the rules is not based on any evidence of harm to the public health of women and girls for trans women to participate in female-only athletic teams and competitions. Nor is there evidence of any specific or "direct" harm done to individual women or girls. There is, however, multiple studies of the harm done to trans women from persecution and bigotry and attempts to exclude their participation from public life. The Virginia Board of Health has no business changing public health rules based on prejudicial animus rather than on rigorous, peer reviewed, evidence-based scientific studies.