I live in Prince William County and I oppose Petition 432. 

This petition is trying to impose segregation of a minority gender by fearmongering about locker rooms as a space of female vulnerability. The Board of Health has no business labeling Trans people a threat to cis women, as if they are not also members of the public who deserve equal accommodation. 

Attacking trans women or trans people more generally will not address any of the very real public health issues faced by women and girls in Virginia, from domestic violence to reproductive care access to the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic. Don’t be distracted by a hate movement trying to harm our transgender friends and neighbors, but instead focus on your mission of ensuring health for all Virginians.

Everyone, regardless of their race, gender or background, deserves equal access to public spaces, and fair treatment. Politicians and interest groups have been focused in the past four years on targeting transgender people and driving them from public life. We as Virginians cannot allow this kind of tyranny to divide our community or take part in this shameful treatment, which harms all aspects of society.

I recently received a video of my good friend, a trans woman, of her having fun and relaxing in a swimming pool. She had been under a lot of strain caring for her mother, who has stage four cancer, and she had an opportunity to enjoy a swim after a lengthy hospital visit far from their home. The joy in her face was so uplifting even through my phone screen. She was not bothering anyone, she just wanted to enjoy a nice soak. A provision like Petition 432 would make it difficult for her to join in wholesome activities like this, with no benefit to anyone else. It would be wrong, and it would make me feel less safe as well because of concerns that if my friend and I went out together one or the other of us would face self-appointed gender police trying to determine if we were “real” women. 

The opponents of trans rights have spent the last several years attacking women of all backgrounds on suspicion of being trans. This includes an elderly woman with dementia attacked by a violent man who thought she was trans (https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/05/23/woman-86-beaten-wheelie-bin-trans). The incident happened in Ireland but could easily happen here in Virginia as well if bigots are emboldened. Here in America we have seen horrific cases like the death of Nex Benedict, a gender non conforming teen who was assaulted in a girl’s bathroom by fellow students. Nex was assigned female at birth but due to gender nonconformity was still targeted by other students. Bans on transgender people using locker rooms will not keep them safe, it will only increase stigma and discrimination.

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