1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

I am writing to express concern regarding recent suggestions that transgender people should be banned from purchasing or owning firearms. Not only is this idea discriminatory, but it also misrepresents the actual data on gun violence in the United States. If we were to restrict firearm ownership based on the demographics most often associated with mass shootings, research shows that cisgender men—particularly white men—are disproportionately represented. Singling out transgender people does not address the root causes of gun violence and instead unfairly targets an already marginalized community. I urge you to reject discriminatory proposals and instead focus on evidence-based solutions to gun violence, such as universal background checks, safe storage laws, and red flag legislation. Policies should be rooted in facts and fairness, not prejudice.