As a parent of one transgender elementary student and one nonbinary graduate from Va public schools, I enthusiastically support the Model Policy for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia Public Schools. My children are lucky enough to attend school in Arlington, where a policy was already adopted to support transgender students; but most trans students in Virginia have not been this fortunate. We need this policy to ensure that every single gender expansive student in Virginia has a safe, supported, and equitable school experience. Without a state policy, we will still have school districts who insist on withholding equal rights from trans students, as they did in the case of Gavin Grimm. Without a state policy, we will still have many trans students who are afraid to go to school, and will even self harm or consider suicide, because of bullying and discrimination. Thank you, Virginia lawmakers and Department of Education, for creating and adopting this policy, which will support, defend, and even save the lives of our beautiful transgender and nonbinary students.