Over the past month, in state legislatures across the country, lawmakers have introduced harmful policies that target nonbinary and transgender children. The vast majority of these bills would either prohibit trans children from participating in school sports that align with their gender identity or prohibit healthcare professionals from providing gender-affirming care, information and support to trans children and their families.
Children’s Alliance stands with the LGBTQ+ community and with our fellow advocacy organizations fighting against discriminatory anti-trans bills across the country. Children’s Alliance affirms the identities of transgender children and their right to live, play, and receive appropriate gender-affirming support and care from the adults in their lives. Trans rights are human rights, and we pledge to uphold the right of all children in Washington to live without discrimination.
In Washington, we are celebrating the passage of SB 5313, which has been approved by the legislature and is headed to the Governor’s desk. This bill, supported by Children’s Alliance, will prevent insurance carriers from denying coverage for gender-affirming treatment. Access to gender-affirming care is both medically necessary and a racial equity issue. Ensuring access to gender-affirming healthcare is a protective factor against violence, discrimination, and suicide, especially for Black trans women and youth.
The dehumanizing intent of the proposed anti-trans bills in 22 states, and their consequences if passed, can lead to crisis for transgender and gender non-conforming people. We encourage our members to support and spread the contact information for Trans Lifeline, a peer-to-peer crisis hotline run for and by members of the transgender community. The national hotline number is (877) 565-8860.
More Trans-Affirming Resources in WA State:
More Information:
- ACLU on the coordinated attack against trans athletes
- Human Rights Campaign guide to supporting trans children
- Human Right Campaign on the intersection of transgender and Black identities
- University of WA study shows affirming trans kids improves mental health outcomes
- The Trevor Project report on gender-affirming care for trans youth