I strongly oppose the petition as it does nothing to protect girls and women, and instead discriminates against a vulnerable population.  The American Medical Association “opposes policies preventing transgender individuals from accessing basic human services and public facilities consistent with gender identity, including the use of restrooms.” Specifically, the AMA notes (https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/population-care/advocating-lgbtq-community) that:

• "Policies that exclude transgender individuals from restrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity have detrimental effects on the health, safety and well-being of those individuals.

• Exclusionary policies undermine well-established treatment protocols for gender dysphoria, and impair social and emotional development, leading to poorer health outcomes.

 • Transgender individuals face a greater risk of violence when using a public facility that does not correspond with their gender identity, including being verbally harassed, physically assaulted or sexually assaulted."

This petition ignores established best practices to promote health and also harms cisgendered girls and women as it invites harassment of anyone who is not perceived to be female “enough.”

The Board of Health should focus time and effort on real issues facing girls and women such as intimate partner violence, maternal mortality, and reproductive health.