This week, two Senate subcommittees will consider bills that impact the LGBTQ community, and they'll consider these bills at the same time. That's not a coincidence. The Senate is hoping that by making citizens choose between resisting Freedom Caucus-supported measures, one that prevents kids from accessing gender affirming care and another that prevents kids from discussing gender, sexual orientation, and race in the classroom, they won't be able to hear us as loudly and clearly as they can when we're all together. This is why we have to pack both rooms:
Senate Medical Affairs Committee Hearing
Wednesday, March 29th
9 a.m.
Gressette Building Room 209
Senate Education Committee Hearing
Wednesday, March 29th
9:30 a.m.
Gressette Building Room 105
Let us know you're coming and we will keep you informed on any updates to hearing logistics as well as plans to meet up. Unfortunately, testimony at these hearings will be limited. The Senate Education committee hearing is a continuation of the hearing from two weeks ago, so the individuals who signed up to testify then will have the chance to do so. Last week, the Senate Medical Affairs committee announced that they’re limiting testimony to 12 speakers per side, and all available testimony slots have been claimed. Just know this: there is power in simply showing up. The rooms will likely be packed, so the only question is who will fill those seats. We want to make sure those rooms are full of people who know that gender affirming care is lifesaving care. We want those rooms full of people who believe that teachers should be free to teach and students should be free to learn.
Other Ways to Be Heard
If you can't attend the hearings this week, there are still ways to speak up about these bills:
Take action with us and tell your Senator to reject the classroom censorship bill here:
No Classroom Censorship
Tell your Senator to reject all bans on gender affirming care here:
No Bans on Gender Affirming Care
To email your written testimony to the Senate Medical Affairs Committee, contact them here:
Email Senate Medical Affairs
Transgender Week of Visibility and Action
Transgender Day of Visibility is Friday, March 31. This week, and all other weeks of the year:
Transgender people belong. Transgender people are and always have been part of our communities. Transgender people have the right to live authentically, and we will never stop defending that right.