One of the things I love about our community is how inclusive and diverse we are. We are a community that believes in celebrating our differences, and I’m proud of that.

But our state legislature just passed a bill that is deeply at odds with our values. This bill cruelly targets the safety and wellbeing of transgender kids by preventing them from accessing the health care they need.

Look, attacking LGBTQ+ kids is just wrong, and we don’t just see it from our state legislature. It’s been one attack after another on LGBTQ+ folks since National Republicans took control of the House last year.

These extremists want you to believe that the mere existence of LGBTQ+ people is a threat, because they think that fear is useful to them politically. Frankly, I’m tired of seeing the lives of LGBTQ+ youth used as a political football. It’s callous, it’s dangerous, and it’s heartbreaking — because it makes life less safe for these kids every single day.

The only “agenda” LGBTQ+ Americans have is living our lives with safety, privacy, and dignity. And every child, no matter who they are, deserves to do exactly that.

I’m going to keep fighting for the freedom and dignity of LGBTQ+ Americans — and standing up against extremists who want to gin up fear and hate against children in order to score political points. If you’re with me, I’d be grateful if you could support my re-election campaign — because, candidly, to win this fight, we need to hold this toss-up seat.

While there are certainly setbacks — and a lot of hard work ahead to overcome them — it’s important to recognize that our country has come a long way in advancing equality and acceptance.

The LGBTQ+ community has always shown our determination and grit, and that’s exactly what we need now as we continue to push for freedom, equality, and dignity for all.

Thank you for being in this fight alongside me.

-Sharice