Dear John,
Big news: We’re launching the Let Us Play campaign to make sure that trans and intersex youth can play sports with their friends – and we need you!
The right to play is being threatened – and in some states, already taken away – all around the country. But we have an opportunity now to get protection at the federal level! The Biden-Harris administration and the U.S. Department of Education are proposing a new rule that would make it so that students can’t be banned from playing sports just because they're trans, nonbinary, or intersex.
The time is NOW for us to tell them what we think. We want full and equal participation for ALL trans and intersex students in sports. Young people can speak out too - there's no age requirement to submit a comment!
Here are the details:
Last week, the Biden administration released draft regulations for the Title IX Athletics Rule. Title IX is the federal law which prohibits sex-based discrimination in school – and on the playing field.
These draft rule is an important step forward, but it could be better. Importantly, it says that there should be no restrictions on trans kids playing with their friends from ages K-8, and that overall bans on trans youth sports participation are unlawful at all ages! Schools could potentially limit trans youth participation in high school, but they would have to pass numerous legal obstacles to do so. What states can’t do, under these regulations, is completely ban young people from sports just because they’re trans.
Importantly, all 20+ existing state bans on trans youth participating in sports would not be lawful under Title IX once this regulation goes into effect. That’s a big step forward – but we want to make sure that the rule is as inclusive as possible, and that all trans youth of all ages can freely play with their friends.
This draft regulation is not yet final – and we have a major opportunity to make our voices heard and push the final rule to be as inclusive as possible. Above all, our goal is to have trans kids at all ages able to freely participate in sports with their peers.
That’s why we’re launching the #LetUsPlay campaign – to show our support for trans youth and lift up the voices of young people and their allies.
Here's what you can do right now:
We need you to make your voice heard. Tell the federal government that you support full inclusion of trans youth, from kindergarten to college – because trans kids deserve to play.
We only have until May 15 to submit a comment and make sure the federal government knows that we MUST fully include all trans youth in sports! With your help, we’ll make sure that all our voices are heard.
