On Wednesday, a bill passed the House Government & Elections committee that targets trans and non-binary Arizonans for discrimination by excluding any gender marker option other than male or female from state documents.
HB2725, introduce by Representative Fillmore, states that “a document issued by any agency, board, commission or department of this state may only indicate an individual's sex as either male or female.”
This law is not only mean-spirited and seeking to clearly establish legal discrimination against trans and non-binary Arizonans, but it is also unnecessary. It is already true that Arizona identity documents only include male or female as gender options. This bill will have the largest impact on trans and non-binary kids, requiring schools to force trans and non-binary children to be identified by the gender they were assigned at birth, instead of the gender that they and their parent wish for them to be identified with.
Arizona’s trans and non-binary youth need you to stand up for them today, to use your voice to stop HB2725 from advancing any closer to legalizing discrimination against trans and non-binary kids.
What You Can Do Right Now:
Write to your representatives today and ask that they hold this bill.
Call Representative Becky Nutt — (602) 926-4852 — the chair of the House Rules committee, and share this message. “Representative Nutt, I am calling as a concerned Arizonan. I am asking you, as the Chair of the House Rules committee to stop HB2725 from progressing to the House Floor for a vote. This bill will have adverse effects on and endanger Arizona’s most vulnerable children. Please help us protect Arizona’s kids by stopping HB2725 from advancing.”
Call Speaker of the House, Representative Rusty Bowers — (602) 926-3128 — and share this message. “Mr. Speaker, I am calling as a concerned Arizonan. I am asking you, as the Speaker of the House, to stop HB2725 from progressing to the House Floor for a vote. This bill will have adverse effects on and endanger Arizona’s most vulnerable children. Please help us protect Arizona’s kids by stopping HB2725 from advancing.”
Call Representative John Fillmore — (602) 926-3187 — and share this message. “Representative Fillmore, I am calling as a concerned Arizonan. I am concerned that your bill, HB2725, will endanger Arizona’s most vulnerable children. This bill is unnecessary and ultimately will have the effect of legalizing discrimination against trans and non-binary children. I know this was not your intent for this bill. Arizonans are suffering enough. We do not need to increase the suffering and struggles of any Arizona family. We also do not need the negative impact this bill will have on our families or our economy. Please withdraw your bill, HB2725, from further consideration.”
Why This Bill Is Bad for Arizona:
Arizonans are struggling to put food on the table, stay in their homes, and keep the lights on as we continue to endure this pandemic. It is egregious, disappointing, and unforgivable that during a pandemic and economic crisis - when millions of Americans lives are at risk and politicians should be focused on keeping our kids safe - that some legislators would push a mean-spirited attack on some of our most vulnerable children.
Arizona is already out of step with the rest of the South West on non-binary gender markers. There are only two options for sex on legal documents in the state, and HB2725 does nothing to change that. The only reason it exists to target and attempt to deny the existence of trans and non-binary Arizonans. We’re in a pandemic, and we need real solutions from the legislature to real problems, not personal attacks on children.
Arizonans overwhelmingly believe, including the majority of conservatives, that all Arizonans, including trans and non-binary people, should be protected from discrimination. This bill is not a simple clerical correction, it is an intrusion on parental rights and an attack on our most vulnerable children