ATHLETE BAN

As representatives of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP), we applaud Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz’s April 30 letter, “Transgender athlete ban is legislative bigotry.”

Lee Savio Beers, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in his March statement on transgender youth, said, “We also recommend that playing on sports teams helps youth develop selfesteem, correlates positively with overall mental health, and appears to have a protective effect against suicide.”

The latest data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that Florida ranks 36th in the nation for children living below 150 percent of the poverty level.

There are so many ways our elected officials can pass legislation to actually help the children of our state, yet Florida, along with many other states, have filed or passed 65 bills aimed at limiting the rights of transgender youth. This is unconscionable.

We urge all citizens of Florida to call Gov. Ron DeSantis and urge him to do the right thing and veto this bill.

– Lisa Gwynn, president, Robin Straus Furlong, board of directors,

FCAAP, Miami