Media Advisory  Angela Hale, 512-289-2995

TEXANS DESERVE BETTER: UNITED AGAINST ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATION 

TEXAS WOMEN URGE LAWMAKERS TO REJECT BILLS THAT FALSELY CLAIM TO PROTECT WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SPORTS AND TO REJECT ALL DANGEROUS ANTI-TRANS LEGISLATION THAT CRIMINALIZES PARENTS AND DOCTORS AND PUTS CHILDREN’S LIVES AT RISK

April 28, 2021-AUSTIN, TEXAS-Texas women from across the state of Texas including religious leaders, mothers, grandmothers, women, lawmakers, parents and kids from across the spectrum will gather at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 28, 2021, on the South Steps of the Capitol to urge lawmakers to once again reject efforts to pass unnecessary, harmful and discriminatory legislation

WHAT: Women Leader News Conference -Texas Women Leaders from across the state of Texas Speak Out Against Anti-Trans Legislation 

In the newest attempt to erode support for equal rights in Texas, lawmakers are directly targeting transgender youth, putting them under a harmful spotlight in two types of dangerous legislation. Medical care bans would criminalize the age-appropriate, evidence-based, private, life-saving care that is thoughtfully crafted in consultation with teams of medical healthcare experts, parents/guardians, and transgender youth. These bills include HB 68, HB 1399, HB 2693/SB 1311, HB 4014/SB 1646. Sports ban bills would require K-12 youth to participate in sports according to the gender on their birth certificate, essentially banning transgender youth from participating in line with their gender identity and barring them from the friendship, education, teamwork, and health benefits of playing a sport. These bills include HB 1458, HB 3455, HB 4042, HB 4043, SB 29, SB 373

WHEN: 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 28, 2021

WHERE: South Steps, Texas State Capitol

(Back up location in case of rain is the Main Capitol Rotunda)

The live stream will be on our Live tab and will just start auto-playing on the main page's feed: https://www.facebook.com/EqualityTexas/live/

WHO Speakers: 

• Parents of Transgender Children from Across Texas
• Molly Carnes, mom of transgender child, Houston
• Anna Eastman, parent of transgender child from Houston
• Lauren Rodriguez, mom of transgender child from Austin
• Annaliese Cothron -Parent
• Indigo Giles (they/them) non-binary teen from Austin
• Heather Gothard- Austin and Tammi Brown – Heather’s mom from Grandbury- (Accused of being on the “wrong sports team” for her gender and deliberately called a transgender woman at a track event by a random man who tried to get her disqualified from the race. She is not transgender and is a gay woman.)
• Pastor Angela Williams
• Katie Coyne – Austin (D1 University of Florida Women’s Rugby Player)
• Lisa Howe, North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce (Division I Basketball coach, fired for being gay)
• Dr. Celia Neavel, People’s Community Clinic, Director, Center for Adolescent Health Director, GOALS
• Dr. Aliza Norwood, Vivent Health
• Pastor Angela William
• Rep. Nicole Collier, Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus
• Rep. Jessica Gonzalez, Vice Chair of the LGBTQ House Caucus
• Rep. Celia Israel, Founding Member of the LGBTQ House Caucus
• Rep. Julie Johnson, Founding Member of the LGBTQ House Caucus
• Rep. Erin Zwiener, Founding Member of the LGBTQ House Caucus
• And many other speakers and others who will attend the rally

 #imatexantoo #letthemplay #letkidsplay #texansdeservebetter
 
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Equality Texas is the largest statewide organization working to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration. The Equality Texas Foundation works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Texans through education, community organizing, and collaboration.