Dear John,

Sometimes, discrimination isn’t obvious. A couple of years ago, my mom, whose first language is Korean, called to tell me about a doctor’s visit. She was directed to take a stool sample by her doctor but didn’t understand what the word “stool” meant. Instead of getting language accommodations, she was yelled at by a nurse who got frustrated by my mom’s lack of understanding. I remember her recounting the story to me, her voice breaking and welling up with tears. Nobody should come away from the doctor’s office feeling ashamed or belittled — and without receiving the care they need. Yet the Trump-Pence administration is trying to roll back anti-discrimination protections in health care — protections that make discrimination like what my mom faced illegal — and we have just under two weeks to stop this assault on our rights.

If this rule is finalized, it will be devastating. It could lead to health care providers:

The proposed rule targets abortion and gender identity specifically, but its harmful provisions could sanction discrimination in virtually all facets of health care. We can’t let that happen. Our health care matters, no matter how many times this administration tries to say otherwise.

The Department of Health and Human Services is obligated to read every single comment that is submitted. Submit your comment by the August 13 deadline and demand the administration put patients first today!

Thank you for fighting back with us,