This week we celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility (TDoV) to honor our transgender and nonbinary community while also raising awareness about the discrimination our community faces. Those of you following along in our legislative session this year know just how much we face that discrimination within the Missouri General Assembly.
During yet another year where Missouri legislators seek to ban transgender youth from participating in school athletics, ban access to life-saving health care, ban inclusive school curriculum, and an exhausting attempt to ban transgender Missourians from simply using a restroom — HB 1416 progressed through committees.
HB 1416 is an unnecessary bill that opens the door to discrimination against transgender and gender-expansive people. This bill violates religious freedom while posing as an attempt to protect it. Using a restroom is a basic human need we all share, and this bill puts that access in jeopardy for members of our community.
Take a moment now in calling Missouri House leadership asking them not to bring this unnecessary, dangerous HB 1416 to the House floor.
- Speaker Rep. Rob Vescovo: 573-751-3607
- Rep. Dean Plocher: 573-751-1544
- Rep. John Wiemann: 573-751-2176
At this moment in Missouri’s legislative session, we are staying diligent as a handful of the worst anti-LGBTQ bills are still in committees awaiting further action. While this is good news now, we know that these bills could resurface, as amendments to other bills, or move at any time. The PROMO team will keep you up to date as we protect trans kids, defend marriage equality, and ensure LGBTQ Missourians can live and thrive!
After calling House Leadership to protect our transgender community in Missouri, register to join us on Wednesday, April 14 at 12 pm on Zoom for our Let Kids Play Lobby Day! Learn from our champion legislators Rep. Betsy Fogle and Sen. Brian Williams, transgender advocates, and take action to protect trans youth!
Continue turning to PROMO in the final six weeks as legislation may move quickly. Legislators see PROMO working in the Capitol, demonstrating the vigilance, persistence, and expertise required to make certain Missouri laws protect and enhance the lives of all LGBTQ Missourians. We’re here to guide you to action — it takes all of us to make sure our laws fully protect LGBTQ Missourians.
In Equality,
Stephen Eisele, Executive Director
Don’t forget to order our new PROMO Let Kids Play t-shirts and visibly show your support of trans kids across our state while helping us continue to defend them against legislative attacks!
