Dear members and friends of the DPBC,

I am writing to you late tonight because this is an urgent time in our state legislature.  

Transgender rights are human rights. This week, the the GOP is making their attack on transgender rights abundantly clear. There are not one, but two bad bills up in committee this week, and we need your help to make sure the members of each committee know that we will not let them take away our friends’ and neighbors’ rights. There is no time to waste, please act now! 

Bad Bill #1:

SB 354, filed by Senator Missy Irvin.

This bill will ban transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports and allow schools that do to be sued for letting them participate.  

You can read and follow the bill here: https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=SB354&ddBienniumSession=2021%2F2021R&Search=

Why this is bad: 

• Excluding women who are trans hurts all women. It invites gender policing that could subject any woman to invasive tests or accusations of being “too masculine” or “too good” at their sport to be a “real” woman.  (ACLU)

• It perpetuates the “bathroom predator” myth. That somehow this is about keeping girls safe, but really it’s about excluding transgender youth from participating. 

• It’s based in fear. Arkansas transgender youth need to be protected, not feared.  

Bill status: it goes to the Arkansas Senate Education Committee on Monday. 

Action: Call and email every member of the committee.  Committee members can be found here: http://bit.ly/ARSenateEducationCommittee

Bill #2 

HB1570, filed by Representative Robin Lundstrum.

This bill prohibits healthcare professionals from giving or referring a minor to another provider for gender affirming care and prohibits insurance from paying for it.  

You can read and follow the bill here:  https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=HB1570&ddBienniumSession=2021%2F2021R&Search=

Why this bill is bad: 

• This is direct opposition to the position of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: “Research consistently demonstrates that gender diverse youth who are supported to live and/or explore the gender role that is consistent with their gender identity have better mental health outcomes than those who are not.” https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Latest_News/AACAP_Statement_Responding_to_Efforts-to_ban_Evidence-Based_Care_for_Transgender_and_Gender_Diverse.aspx

• This bill is also in opposition to the stance of the American Academy of Pediatrics: “We know more than ever before about what transgender children need to grow up safe and healthy, and a large part of that is being accepted, nurtured and supported in their gender identity by their family, physicians and community,” said Karen Remley, MD, MBA, MPH, FAAP, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the AAP.

• Why is the state legislature injecting themselves in between health care providers and families in contradiction to current best practices in healthcare? 

Bill status:  According to the Arkansas House Calendar, it is scheduled for both a committee hearing and a House Floor vote on Tuesday, March 9.  

Action:  Call and email every member of the Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee:   http://bit.ly/ARHousePublicHealth 

Call your representative, too.  You can find your House Representative here: https://argis.ualr.edu/DistrictFinder/index.html

It is vital that we all use our voices to make our state legislators know that these bills are bad for transgender Arkansan youth.

Learn more: 

If you want more resources on how to better support transgender youth, here are some excellent resources to get you started: 

Human Rights Campaign: https://www.hrc.org/resources/transgender-children-and-youth-understanding-the-basics

GLESN provides many resources for supporting trans students at school: https://www.glsen.org/supporting-trans-and-gnc-students

The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/trevor-support-center/a-guide-to-being-an-ally-to-transgender-and-nonbinary-youth/

American Academy of Pediatrics and the Human Rights Campaign: https://assets2.hrc.org/files/documents/SupportingCaringforTransChildren.pdf

If we act now, if we urge them to consider the ramifications these bills will have on transgender youth and their families, we may be able to convince enough legislators to kill these bills in committee.  

In Solidarity,
Anna Good
Chairperson, DPBC