1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing today to urge the rejection of Assembly Bills 89 and 844. These bills address a non-existent problem and create fear of a tiny minority, and only serve as a distraction to the real issues facing our communities. Transgender women make up a small percentage of the population and an even smaller percentage of competitive athletes. And I can tell you from personal experience that this focus on trans women hurts many more cisgender women by generating distrust of anyone who doesn’t appear to the casual observer to follow gender-based generalizations about “femininity” enough. As a college athlete at UC Berkeley, I was assaulted multiple times, always by men, who wanted me to “prove” I was female. My breasts and genitals were grabbed and punched, only because the guy looking at me didn’t think I was a “real woman.” Bills like AB 89 and 844 will make it even worse for cisgender women who do not express themselves according to some dudebro’s personal prejudices. Governor Newsom in particular is wrong on this topic, and his podcast needs to end. Focus on our state, not on giving a platform to right-wing garbage spewers. Sports are a source of critical life skills and for many provide a lifeline to community support that offers mentorship, physical activity, and a sense of belonging. AB 89 and AB 844 would strip these opportunities away from the very people who need them the most, as well as making sports less safe for every other girl and woman by increasing the policing of their bodies. I urge you to stand in opposition to these bills.