South Dakota, HB 1057 passed out of committee with an 8-5 vote, to now go to the full House for a vote. This legislation would criminalize doctors who prescribe gender-affirming treatment for transgender teenagers.

Lawmakers in South Carolina are currently working to pass this legislation here which could seriously and negatively affect transgender (and in some cases intersex) youth, and we need your help to fight back. State lawmakers have filed a wave of bills that ban medical professionals from treating transgender youth–a move that could be seriously harmful, or even life-threatening to transgender young people.

As a PFLAG member or supporter, you are fighting this kind of legislation every day. Right now, your work is timely and vital.

TAKE ACTION

PFLAG National has asked us to share three ways you can help our trans youth right now:

  1. If you are the parent of a transgender young person and willing to publicly share your story, please contact Laura McGinnis at lmcginnis@pflag.org right now. Writers from a variety of supportive news outlets are contacting us, and your personal stories–shared at the local, state, and national level–can open hearts, change minds, and hopefully fight off this bad legislation.
  2. If you are the parent of a transgender young person, visit this link, scroll to the bottom, and share your story there. Be sure to mention that you are a PFLAG parent/member/chapter leader. The collective strength of hearing from PFLAG can make a vital difference.
  3. Contact your legislators and let them know that you oppose these types of dangerous and damaging bills. The sponsors of the bill are:

Rep. Stewart Jones [R]
Rep. Garry Smith [R]
Rep. Mandy Kimmons [R]
Rep. Sylleste Davis [R]

When you call them, let them know that you are reaching out regarding anti-transgender legislation (you can find a comprehensive list of this legislation here, courtesy of our colleagues at Freedom for All Americans). When you call, share the following PFLAG message (or similar), personalized to your own voice:

My name is [your name] and I’m a PFLAG parent from [city/state]. My transgender child relies on me and [their/her/his] trusted medical professionals to make informed decisions on their care, care that is critical, life-saving, and in their best interests. Please do not jeopardize my child’s physical, behavioral, and emotional health with unnecessary legislation. Please vote against these dangerous and damaging bills.

Sign up for email updates from PFLAG National here.