Dear Friend,

Hi, I'm Gio. I'm a sneakerhead, the best big brother to my many younger siblings, a U.S. Air Force veteran, and a trans man. As you can probably tell, I'm used to protecting the things I care about — whether it's my newest pair of Jordans or our country's freedom — but right now, I need you to protect me and my community.

This year alone, there have been more than 600 anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration in statehouses across the country, the majority of which target me and the transgender community. These bills take away rights and bodily autonomy from transgender people and put our safety at risk.

Our lawmakers need a reminder that they serve all of us — including me and trans people like myself. Will you take a second to tell your lawmakers to protect the transgender community and oppose anti-trans legislation?

These bills, things like bathroom bans and limiting access to healthcare, strip away our dignities and freedoms under the guise of helping women and children — an unfounded trope that has been weaponized against the transgender community and used to justify anti-trans hate for decades. 

By spreading misinformation and treating trans people as a danger to society, these bills fan the flames of the rampant transphobia our culture is facing. That transphobia results in everyday harm to transgender people — including me. Now, after serving our country, I am facing an attack at home.

I am proud to be who I am. And I'm going to do everything I can to protect myself and the beautiful community of people I call my family. Please join me and contact your representatives now.

Thank you,

Gio (he/him)

P.S. Part of protecting the transgender community against these bills is fighting back against the misinformation and hate being spread about us. That's why I'm so grateful to have GLAAD by our side. They're fact-checking misinformation, getting hate speech banned from social media sites, and advocating for accurate and authentic queer representation in movies, TV shows, and the news. Please sign the petition now and support GLAAD's work.