Trans* kids BELONG in LA πŸ’–Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ 
Louisiana Trans Advocates

For immediate release: June 8, 2022
Contact: kara.watkinschow@berlinrosen.com

Gov. Edwards Fails to Veto Anti-transgender Bill, Allowing Ban on Kids’ Sports Participation to Become Law

(Baton Rouge, LA) – Monday night, Governor John Bel Edwards declined to veto Senate Bill 44 β€” a bill banning transgender students from participating in school sports on teams that are consistent with their gender identity β€” and allowed the ban to become law. When the law takes effect in August, schools will be required to discriminate against transgender students.

Last year, Gov. Edwards vetoed a nearly identical anti-trans sports ban, calling it discriminatory government overreach. In response to this news, LGBTQ+ rights experts and advocates have issued the following statements:

Peyton Rose Michelle (she/her), Secretary on the Board of Directors of LA Trans Advocates, said:
β€œGovernor Edwards knows that this ban sends an incredibly harmful message to young people, but nevertheless, he caved to pressure from politicians who’ve threatened to override a veto. Gov. Edwards says he is being pragmatic, but he missed a powerful opportunity to affirm trans youth and set an example for all Louisianans. He failed our children this week β€” children who just want to be able to grow up happy and healthy. Extremists will weaponize this ban and keep pushing to erase and harass trans youth, so I encourage all Louisianans to stand in solidarity with trans kids in our communities. No matter what politicians say, trans kids belong here and everywhere.”

SarahJane Guidry (she/her), Executive Director of Forum for Equality, said:
β€œThe governor’s decision to allow this dangerous ban to become law forces school administrators and coaches to discriminate against their students and tell some kids they don’t belong on a team with their classmates, just because of who they are. I’m disheartened to see the governor condone this shameful political attack against our trans youth, without even trying to intervene. We will continue to pursue all avenues possible to move forward in our fight to build a community where all young people, including trans kids, have the protections and opportunities they deserve.”

About Louisiana Trans Advocates
Louisiana Trans Advocates is the first and only statewide transgender advocacy and social support organization in Louisiana. We conduct advocacy work across the state at the institutional level to make policies and legislation trans-inclusive. Learn more: www.latransadvocates.org

About Forum for Equality
Forum for Equality is Louisiana’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights organization dedicated to the establishment of a society free from discrimination and to the support of good government. We believe that the fastest and most efficient way to achieve our goals is through community organization, education, and constructive participation in the political process. Since 1989, Forum has been active in Louisiana by helping to pass civil rights advancements for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Learn more: www.forumforequality.org
 

As you’ve read in the statement above, the Governor has let SB44, the anti-trans sports bill, become law without vetoing it as we hoped.

I loathe being the one to share this information with you. I undoubtedly understand how triggering this can be to LGBTQ+ youth, but I want you to know that we will keep fighting until the very end.

I want you to know that trans* people belong in Louisiana. Even with this horrible bill set to become law, I want to urge my community not to let these legislators shame us into hiding. I encourage you not to let them win.

Even with this bill passed, we had a remarkable legislative session. We successfully killed the trans youth healthcare ban and Louisiana’s version of the Don’t Say Gay/Trans bill. We also had unprecedented movement on our good bills, like the conversion therapy ban and the LGBTQ+ housing protection bill.

I encourage our community to celebrate Pride. Pride events are happening around Louisiana throughout the month, and they’re an excellent way for us to connect with our community and allies. We need community maybe now more than ever.

Lastly, if you’re a trans* athlete or a parent of one interested in fighting this law, reply to this email, and we can connect around the next steps.

With love and gratitude,
β€” Peyton Rose Michelle (she/her) 🌹
Board Secretary, Louisiana Trans Advocates πŸ³οΈβ€βš§οΈ
 

P.S. You can sign up for the Trans Action Team (cis allies welcome) to help us defeat anti-trans legislation. We will need everyone to lend their power to help #ProtectTransYouth. Invite your friends to join us too!

P.P.S. If you’re a parent of a trans young person or a trans young person and would like to speak out against these bills, please get in touch with us directly by emailing peyton@latransadvocates.org so that we can empower you to use your voice.

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Louisiana Trans Advocates, 650 N 6th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, United States

Louisiana Trans Advocates

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