1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

I'm calling on you to publicly oppose bathroom bans that criminalize transgender people for using bathrooms that match their gender identity. Idaho's law, signed by Governor Brad Little in April, threatens trans people with up to one year in jail for first offenses and up to five years in prison for subsequent violations. It takes effect July 1, 2026. Similar legislation is spreading nationwide. These laws create an impossible situation. Trans men with beards face criminal charges for using men's bathrooms, yet using women's bathrooms puts them at risk of violence and still appears to violate the law. Under existing Idaho code, someone who assaults a trans person would face lighter punishment than the trans person faces for using the correct bathroom. That's not public safety. That's persecution. Idaho has passed 17 anti-trans laws this year alone, rushing them through with limited public comment. Senator Brandon Shippy called the trans community a "myth" during testimony. House Republicans suppressed a Democratic report documenting the harms of forced outing legislation. Trans people are people. This isn't up for debate, and they deserve to live their lives without fear of arrest for basic human needs. Stand with them.