Since 2017, when the legislature considered a bathroom bill targeting transgender people, the Human Rights Campaign has had full-time staff on the ground in Texas, working in close partnership with ally organizations like the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), Texas Freedom Network, Lambda Legal, Equality Texas, and the ACLU of Texas.
In Texas, as in other states considering these bills, legislators across the country could not provide examples of trans sports issues in their states to attempt to justify these attacks on transgender youth, laying bare the reality that they are fueled by discrimination and not supported by fact. Collegiate and professional sports organizations have had trans-inclusive policies for years without incident. Further, the NCAA opposes efforts to limit the participation of transgender students.
In a further example of the baffling rationale behind the discriminatory bill, this bill would in practice, actually force transgender boys to play with cisgender girls – accomplishing the opposite of the proponents’ stated goals, in the same way that the bathroom bill would have forced transgender men to share restrooms with cisgender women.
The bill’s placement on Tuesday’s Major State calendar was a sign of far-right pressure to pass the bill despite the fact that discrimination against the transgender community does not have the support of the majority of voters, including Republicans. In a 10-state poll last Fall that included Texas, when respondents were asked about how they prioritized the importance of banning transgender people from participating in sports as compared to other policy issues, the issue came in dead last, with between 1% and 3% prioritizing the issue. The poll, conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group, also found that trans equality is popular, with at least 60% of Trump voters across each of the 10 states saying transgender people should be able to live freely and openly.
HRC works to advance equality both in the legislature and at the ballot box. In election season, HRC supports pro-LGBTQ candidates and works with lawmakers to expand their understanding of LGBTQ Texans. Data shows that LGBTQ voters have a consistently high turnout – and they know who stands with them, and who works to harm them.
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