I live in Chesapeake Virginia and I oppose Petition 432. 

This petition is not about locker rooms or fairness in women's sports,  Both issues are deserving of a reasoned discussion. Rather this petition is part of a larger conservative attack on a small part of our population who are being demonized (I use this faith loaded word deliberately) to score points with like thinking people.   This reasoned discussion on fairness should recognize and address that there are many forms of advantage in sports among those  born male or female (e.g. physical size, economic advantages (private coaching, travel teams etc).  Privacy issues can also be address in a reasoned way.

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, 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. 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. 

I urge you to reject Petition 432.

Sincerely,

 Kevin St George