Martha Burtis

This bill is an outright state-mandated attempt to bully and shame our young trans athletes in New Hampshire. Across the state, there are only four or five trans teens playing sports in public schools, and this bill is squarely targeted at them. These teens are not breaking records, stealing scholarships, or preying on their classmates -- they are simply seeking a community of peers with whom they share a love of sport. They deserve to be welcomed and cared for, and instead you are creating a climate in which they are more likely to be isolated and alone. I wonder if any of the bill's sponsors even know a transgender person -- if they do not, I URGE them to take the time to talk to and get to know trans people. Better yet, reach out to one of the trans teen athletes in this state who are currently fighting tooth and nail for their rights. Get to know them; listen to their stories. I guarantee you will come away from that conversation feeling differently. New Hampshire's state motto is "Live Free or Die." Sadly, bills like this not only undermine the very idea of individual freedom we claim to hold dear -- it sends the message to these young people that their lives are worth very little in the eye's of the state. Trans youth are at a tremendously higher risk of severe bullying, self-harm, and suicide. These impacts are a direct result of the bullying and hate they encounter in their communities every day. Let's do better and care for these kids by showing them we see them and want to make space for them.