Laura Portalupi

The argument set forth in this bill that the form of discrimination proposed is for the purpose of physical safety is unsound and false. In fact, evidence shows that "Transgender people [are] over four times more likely than cisgender people to be victims of violent crime." (https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/press/ncvs-trans-press-release/) Evidence also shows that state-level laws that permit discrimination against non-binary and trans people have led to an increase in suicide attempts among transgender and non-binary youth: "Enacting state-level anti-transgender laws increased incidents of past-year suicide attempts among TGNB young people by 7–72%." (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-01979-5) Furthermore, a study conducted in Massachusetts found: "…the passage of such laws [on safety and privacy in public restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms] is not related to the number or frequency of criminal incidents in these spaces. Additionally, the study finds that reports of privacy and safety violations in public restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms are exceedingly rare. This study provides evidence that fears of increased safety and privacy violations as a result of nondiscrimination laws are not empirically grounded." (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13178-018-0335-z) You can also read a free article that covers the problems with bills like this here: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/study-confirms-transgender-people-not-threat-to-cisgender-people-bathrooms