Human Rights Campaign State Legislative Director and Senior Counsel Cathryn Oakley released the following statement:

“Today, radical politicians in the Virginia House passed not one, but two anti-LGBTQ+ bills - both of which target transgender students who are already facing marginalization and isolation. Like every student, LGBTQ+ kids deserve an education that is inclusive, safe, and enables them to succeed. Outing minors without their consent can put children in active danger, as well as prevent them from finding needed support from a trusted adult. . Preventing kids from playing sports with their peers sends a dangerous and false message that they don’t belong - and is based on fear mongering around transgender kids, not facts. These are two different bills, but each are part of a coordinated effort to attack transgender kids who are just trying to navigate their adolescents. Virginians deserve better.”

In a coordinated push led by national anti-LGBTQ+ groups, which deployed vintage discriminatory tropes, politicians in state houses across the country introduced a record 315 discriminatory anti-LGBTQ+ bills in 2022. The majority of the discriminatory bills targeted the transgender and non-binary community, with the majority targeting children receiving the brunt of discriminatory legislation. Anti-transgender legislation took several forms, including bills aimed to prevent transgender youth from playing school sports consistent with their gender identity and bills to prevent transgender and non-binary youth from receiving life-saving, medically-necessary gender-affirming healthcare.

Nearly 1 in 5 of any type of hate crime is now motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias and the last two years have been the deadliest for transgender people, especially Black transgender women, we have seen since we began tracking fatal violence against the community. Reports of violence and intimidation against LGBTQ+ people have been making news across the country. Finally, anti-LGBTQ+ stigma also drives alarmingly high rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. 45% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, but LGBTQ+ youth who have at least one accepting adult in their life were 40% less likely to attempt suicide.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.