I live in Arlington, Virginia, and I oppose Petition 432. 

This petition is not about locker rooms. The Board of Health has no business labeling groups of people harmful based on who they are. 

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. 

Banning people (especially a group with an already-high rate of suicide) from enjoying their childhood, learning teamwork, and making friends creates an environment in Virginia that promotes hate and discrimination, and which actively hurts our Commonwealth's children. 

This petition has nothing to do with the health of Virginians and everything to do with discrimination. No one should face discrimination because of who they are.  Period. 

I urge you to stand on the right side of history and reject Petition 432.