It's unconscionable that Governor Brad Little sided with discrimination and signed two anti-trans bills into law, in the middle of a pandemic, a national emergency, and on the eve of the Transgender Day of Visibility.
Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people have always existed. TGNC people have participated in sports consistent with their gender identities for years without ever harming any other students.
The campaign for HB 500 maliciously targeted transgender and intersex women and girls, a population that is already vulnerable to bullying and harassment. HB 500 makes Idaho the first state to impose an outright ban on participation of transgender athletes.
HB 509 bans gender changes on birth certificates issued in the state. It is clear that Gov. Little is simply acquiescing to bigotry, given that a federal court has already deemed a similar anti-trans birth certificate bill unconstitutional in 2018.
The 12X ordinance bans City and County employee travel and contracting with states that pass anti-LGBTQ or anti-abortion laws or both. The City of San Francisco has added Idaho to the 12X Ordinance list because will we will continue to hold states accountable when they pass legislation that legalizes discrimination.
We are grateful for the work of the ACLU who filed a lawsuit today against Idaho to fight these two shameful bills.