I live in Virginia, and I oppose Action 4905.

Per the VDH website, the Board of Health exists for:

• Prevention and control of chronic disease;
• Reduction of disparities in health care and health status;
• Improvement of Virginia’s public health infrastructure; and
• Improvement in the health and well-being of all Virginians.

This executive direction does not serve any of these purposes. Indeed, it promotes discriminating against some of the most vulnerable populations, such as transgender people and others, including cisgender straight women and girls who do not meet some people's expectations of femininity. According to the Williams Institute, transgender people face far more violence than their cisgender counterparts (https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/ncvs-trans-press-release/). Everyone deserves to play and be treated fairly in Virginia, regardless of race, background, gender, or expression. 

There are genuine public health concerns in Virginia. I work in healthcare. I personally know people who, in 2025, have to choose between buying medications and buying food. These are the types of issues the Board should focus on to improve Virginians' health. Discriminating based on gender does not improve the well-being of Virginians, and Action 4905 should not be implemented.