N.H. child advocate calls bills ‘harmful’ to LGBTQ+ youth
Proposals would include limits on trans athletes
CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire’s child advocate spoke out on Tuesday against 30 or so bills pending before the New Hampshire Legislature that she said would harm LGBTQ+ youth in the state.
The proposed legislation includes efforts to bar trans girls from girls’ sports teams, limit gender-affirming care and the ability of trans students to use the bathroom aligned with their gender identity, and set requirements for parental notification that advocates say amount to forcibly outing LGBTQ+ students to their parents.
Cassandra Sanchez, the state’s child advocate, said those efforts would have a chilling effect on the LGBTQ+ community in New Hampshire.
“These bills not only dehumanize our LGBTQ+ residents, but they also single out an already vulnerable population,” she said during a press conference hosted by health advocacy organization New Futures.
Sanchez pointed to the Human Rights Campaign, which has declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals given the wave of bills introduced in state legislatures around the country. That includes 484 anti-LGBTQ bills, according to the ACLU.
“In New Hampshire, 30 of these harmful bills have been brought forward at this legislative session that threaten the health, safety, and intrinsic rights of the Granite State LGBTQ+ residents, their families, and our communities at large,” said Sanchez.
She said she has not yet brought her concerns to the governor, but committed to doing so before these measures reach his desk.
Sanchez spoke alongside LGBTQ+ rights advocates. The press conference also highlighted opposition to the proposed bills from the service provider Waypoint, the New Hampshire Pediatric Society, and a group of about 100 businesses.
Proponents of limiting trans athletes from sports teams believe it is a matter of fairness and safety. Those in favor of increased parental notification have argued parents should know what’s going on with their children at school.
Sanchez said when students are in a safe and supportive home, they will have that conversation with their parents when they feel ready and should not be rushed into doing so. Plus, she underscored the importance of having a trusted adult at school.
One parent of a trans girl and athlete said trans athletes aren’t taking opportunities away from cisgender players. “All of my experience with trans athletes has been that they just want to play,” said Sara Tirrell, whose daughter Parker plays soccer. “Parker’s team, in particular, won zero games last year. She was not the kid that was bowling over anybody on the field because that’s not who she is.”
The press conference comes after the New Hampshire House narrowly passed a bill banning trans girls from sports teams and requiring two-week parental notification before educators can teach about gender or gender identity.
On Thursday, the New Hampshire Senate will vote on Senate Bill 562, legislation that would enable the exclusion of transgender individuals from locker rooms, restrooms, and sports teams that align with their gender identity. The Senate will also vote on Senate Bill 341, requiring educators to answer questions from parents honestly and completely.