FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: EQUALITY TEXAS STATEMENT ON THREE ANTI-TRANSGENDER SPORTS BILLS BEING REFERRED TO HOUSE COMMITTEES

CONTACT:
Angela Hale |  512.289.2995 |   angela.hale@equalitytexas.org
Debi Jackson | debi.jackson@equalitytexas.org 

September 22, 2021 – AUSTIN, TEXAS – Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization solely dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ+ Texans, today responded to three anti-transgender sports bills being referred to House committees. Ricardo Martinez (he/him), Chief Executive Officer of Equality Texas, released the following statement:

“We’re disappointed that we are here for a fourth session defending the humanity of innocent transgender children in Texas. We will do everything in our power to stop these bills from becoming law. I don’t want to have to look into the faces of parents of transgender kids and tell them that their state leaders have failed to protect their children. I remain hopeful that we will be able to defeat all of the anti-transgender bills. Placing invented hypothetical scenarios over the real harm these bills have already caused transgender children is cruel. The Trevor Project received nearly 4,000 crisis contacts from transgender and nonbinary youth in Texas in 2021 — a 150% increase over the same period last year — with many directly stating that they are feeling stressed and considering suicide due to anti-trans laws, including sports bans, being debated in our state. These are real kids and real lives and should not continue to be treated as political fodder, session after session. Trans and LGB people do not deserve to live under constant threat and fear of their safety and well-being.”

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Equality Texas is the largest statewide organization working to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.