For Immediate Release: January 8, 2024
Contact: Ciora Thomas, ciora.thomas@sisterspgh.org, 412-297-0548
SisTers PGH released the following statement in response to two anti-trans bills passed by the New Hampshire legislature last week:
(Pittsburgh) – We at SisTers PGH are appalled at the New Hampshire House of Representatives as they passed two bills last week attacking trans people, including youth.
HB 396 would permit the state and educational institutions to discriminate against trans people in athletic competitions, state custody or “places of intimate privacy,” while HB 619 would ban transgender youth from accessing gender-affirming procedures.
These bills, voted for by both Democrats and Republicans, weaken the guarantee of equal protection under the law for LGBTQ+ people. It is also disheartening to see this happen in a state that historically claims to respect and support the community.
Transgender people, especially youth, deserve protection, dignity, and care. These laws are more than a slap in the face to their humanity – they are, in many instances, a death sentence.
This goes to show how transphobia is gripping every part of the nation. It shows how much work we all have to do. It shows why our fight is as important today as it has ever been.
We urge the New Hampshire Senate to vote no on these heinous bills and, if necessary, we call upon the governor to veto this harmful legislation.
SisTers PGH is a Black- and Trans-led 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves Trans and nonbinary people within Southwestern Pennsylvania. Learn more at www.sisterspgh.org.
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