As a healthcare provider who has lived and worked in Virginia since 2013, and as someone assigned female at birth, I write in strong opposition to The Family Foundation’s petition to classify transgender women as a public health threat.

The history of healthcare and education in Virginia—and across the U.S.—is marked by systemic racism, segregation, and inequities. These histories are not distant: their consequences shape the present. The Family Foundation’s petition builds on that legacy, rooted not in evidence or concern for public health, but in fear and dehumanization.

I speak as someone who embraces a nonbinary identity—a journey of self-acceptance and healing. I move through the world with the privileges of whiteness and the assumption of cisgender identity, but I cannot ignore the real harm this petition would cause to my transgender neighbors, clients, and community.

Public health demands inclusion, evidence-based practice, and trauma-informed care. This petition does nothing to advance the health of our Commonwealth. It does not address urgent issues like Richmond’s crumbling water system, bullying and violence in our schools, or the need for updated infrastructure. Instead, it seeks to target and endanger already-marginalized people.

As a healthcare provider committed to the well-being of all Virginians, I urge you to reject this harmful and discriminatory petition. Let us instead work toward a vision of public health that honors dignity, safety, and care for everyone.