The Idaho Legislature has passed two religiously motivated anti-trans bills that are now on the governor’s desk awaiting signature. We need you to contact Gov. Brad Little and urge him to veto these two bills.
The first, H. 500, dubiously titled “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” is intended to prevent trans women from participating in women’s sports. There is a long legacy of this troubling sex discrimination in athletics. Myths, such as the idea that physical exertion would harm women’s reproductive systems or that women were inherently inferior athletes, were historically used to “protect” women by barring their participation in entire fields, including marathon racing and contact sports. These myths are, of course, closely tied to the long history of religion treating women as inherently inferior to men.
The second, H. 509, disallows trans people from legally changing the sex listed on their birth certificate. The bill says that Idaho birth certificates must include the “immutable” sex, which can only be amended within a year of issuance.
This is yet another example of the infiltration of entrenched religious dogma into our secular law. These bills are currently on Little’s desk. If the governor takes no action, the bills will pass automatically. Please take a few moments to use our simple, automated system and ask Little to VETO these dogmatic bills. Click on the red “Take Action” link below and follow the prompt. Feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
