I live in Chesapeake, Virginia and I oppose Petition 432. Trans people are absolutely not a public health threat. As a woman who uses public bathrooms safely all the time and as a parent of children in public schools who have never been threatened by a trans or nonbinary person, this is a massive waste of our time and energy.  

There are real public health issues facing women and girls in Virginia, like domestic violence, maternal health, and poverty. Don’t let this hateful petition distract from your important mission to protect the health and promote the well-being of ALL people in Virginia.

Across our races, backgrounds, and genders, we all deserve to be treated fairly. There is a nationwide effort by some politicians and interest groups to force transgender people and LGBTQ+ people out of public life. These political attacks harm us all, whether we’re gay or straight, transgender or not, because they foster discrimination and distract us from the real problems we face. 

No one should face discrimination because of who they are. Trans people have always been here, and always will be. They will not be silenced by your hateful attempts