A4TE Statement on Reintroduction of Trans Bill of Rights Resolution

[Washington, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Rep Pramila Jayapal of Washington and U.S. Sen Edward Markey of Massachusetts reintroduced the Trans Bill of Rights, and Advocates for Trans Equality celebrates the landmark resolution. Olivia Hunt, A4TE Director of Federal Policy, released the following statement:

“Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) is proud to endorse the Trans Bill of Rights. With this important resolution, pro-equality members of Congress reaffirm their unwavering leadership in advancing the rights and dignity of trans people.

“At a time when so many politicians and pundits are urging public officials to turn their backs on trans people, Rep. Jayapal, Sen. Markey, and their cosponsoring colleagues have taken a bold and necessary stand for the trans community.

“Unlike President Trump’s discriminatory and unconstitutional executive orders and the anti-trans legislation being introduced in state legislatures across the country, the resolution describes a comprehensive framework for the rights of transgender and nonbinary people, including access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic security. If enacted, these protections will ensure that trans and nonbinary Americans are not discriminated against on the basis of gender identity or expression.

“The trans community—and any community that upsets the Trump-Vance administration’s narrow vision of who this country belongs to—has been targeted with fear, intimidation, and cruelty, but this resolution is an affirmative declaration that, even in the face of discrimination and violence, trans people will always joyfully exist and we deserve the same dignity and care as everyone else in this country.

“A4TE is proud to have these trans champions in Congress stand with us in this fight. We call on every member of Congress to step up and send a clear message of support and encouragement to their transgender and nonbinary constituents by cosponsoring the Trans Bill of Rights resolution.” The Transgender Bill of Rights calls on the federal government to provide protections for transgender and nonbinary people by:

• Ensuring that transgender and nonbinary people have equal access to services and public accommodations by amending the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include gender identity and amending Title IX to clarify that it protects students from discrimination based on gender identity and sex characteristics.
• Recognizing the right to bodily autonomy and ethical healthcare by expanding access to gender-affirming medical care, codifying the right to abortion and contraception, protecting transgender people from discrimination in healthcare, and banning forced surgery on intersex children and infants in violation of ethical standards of care.
• Promoting the safety of trans and nonbinary people by investing in community services to prevent violence against trans and nonbinary people and expand services for survivors, investing in mental health services designed for transgender and nonbinary people, and banning “conversion therapy” practices.
• Enforcing the civil rights of transgender people by requiring the Attorney General to designate a liaison within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice dedicated to advising and overseeing enforcement of the civil rights of transgender people.

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About A4TE

Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) is an organization that fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in the United States. Introduced in July 2024 after the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and the National Center for Transgender Equality merged, A4TE is the largest trans-led advocacy organization in the U.S. and brings together experts, advocates, and communities to shift government and society toward an equitable future where trans people live joyful lives without barriers.

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