As the grandparent of a transgender grandson, I know how important it is to affirm the identity of every individual. My grandson has been very fortunate to have support of family, friends and community, including his public school teachers and advisors. I know that this isn't the case for too many transgender and non-binary young people in our society. I applaud my state of Virginia's General Assembly for its passage of legislation that protects and supports these identities and I applaud the VDOE for its commitment to protecting and supporting these identities as demonstrated in the recently drafted Model Policies for Transgender and Non-Binary Students in Virginia Public Schools.This is demanding, but necessary work to ensure equitable treatment for all students. Thank you, VDOE, for your commitment to it!