Oppose HB 538 & HB 421

As the legislative session nears its end, lawmakers have accelerated their efforts to push through their agenda and bills hastily. Two concerning anti-trans bills have been lingering in the Senate and now headed to the Senate floor. It is crucial to take immediate action by urging the Senate to vote NO on these bills. You can contribute by writing to your Senator and expressing your opposition.

What are the bills that are up for a hearing?

HB 421 asserts that there are solely two sexes, insisting that the sex assigned at birth remains fixed for life, and essentially negating any recognition of gender identity beyond biological determinants. It changes all references to gender and sex throughout all Idaho laws to match this binary biological definition. The ACLU opposes the bill's attempt to enforce a binary understanding of sex as either male or female based solely on biological and physiological characteristics. Gender identity is a complex and nuanced aspect of an individual's identity, and rigidly defining sex overlooks the diversity of human experiences.

HB 538 would allow government officials and employees, including public school teachers and staff, to intentionally and persistently misgender transgender people and refuse to address them by their preferred name and pronouns. This bill causes big privacy problems and make it hard to protect transgender students' rights. The bill doesn't say how teachers and government workers would check students' gender, names, and pronouns, which means they might have to keep asking for proof, which could be embarrassing and invasive. It also would legally protect the employees from being fired or disciplined in anyway for their harassment of the trans coworkers or of trans students.

While we provide a suggested email template to make the process easier, we strongly encourage you to add your personal touch and share your story. Your authentic voice adds depth and authenticity to our collective efforts.

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What's your district & how can legislators reach you?

Your Message to the legislators

Dear (name and title inserted automatically),

I strongly urge you to oppose House Bills 538 and 421.

House Bill 538 presents a significant threat as it mandates schools to forcibly disclose the transgender identity of students, disregarding the potential harm this could cause in both educational and familial environments. These coercive measures, under the guise of protecting parental rights, actually endanger the well-being of transgender students who deserve the right to privacy and respectful treatment within their school environments.

Equally concerning is House Bill 421, which seeks to redefine "sex" in a manner that purposefully excludes transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and other gender non-conforming individuals from Idaho law. This bill before you is constraining Idahoans into rigid binary categories and disregarding established medical standards, seems to be both scientifically flawed and discriminatory. Its potential unintended ramifications could constitute clear violations of constitutional rights, such as unequal protection under the law, and other restrictions.

These bills are not just misguided; they are deliberately harmful to LGBTQ+ communities. It is imperative to recognize the repeated targeting and marginalization of these communities and take a stand against further perpetuation of harm. Idahoans are exhausted by the relentless attack on the rights and dignity of our LGBTQ+ family, friends and neighbors. It is time to reject legislation that seeks to erase their existence and diminish their rights.

I urge you to vote NO on both of these bills.