Author: Wes Sanders

by Wes Sanders

Federal Judge Restores Access to Gender-Affirming Care for Georgia Transgender Youth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATLANTA, GA (August 21, 2023) – On Sunday night, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction halting provisions of Senate Bill 140, Georgia’s restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, from taking effect while a legal case challenging the legislation proceeds.

“The federal Judge confirms what so many families and transgender youth have been saying all along: that bans against healthcare are harmful, dangerous, discriminatory, and illegal,” said Georgia Equality’s executive director Jeff Graham. “It is our hope that this loss, and its echoes all over the country, along with overwhelming public opposition, will discourage any further legislative action targeting trans folks when the General Assembly convenes again in January.” 

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by Wes Sanders

grateful & thankful

Friend–

As we come nearer to the end of another year in this fight together, we have yet to take our foot off the gas pedal. Our staff and volunteers have been educating and informing voters of upcoming elections for what seems like the entire year – and we won’t stop until after the December 6th runoff for US Senator from Georgia.

While you’ll be seeing plenty of messages from us on that front in the coming weeks, I want to pause today to say THANK YOU – because of you, your continued commitment to this work, and our amazing staff and volunteers, we’ve seen unprecedented successes this year!

 

Here are just a few of those accomplishments: Continue reading →

by Wes Sanders

Press Release: GE responds to GHSA vote to change policy on gender

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 GEORGIA EQUALITY RESPONDS TO GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOLASSOCIATION VOTE TO CHANGE POLICY ON GENDER

May 4, 2022 (Atlanta, GA) — This morning the Georgia High School Association Executive Committee voted to change their policy regarding the gender of participants in school sports being restricted only to the sex listed on a birth certificate.

Jeff Graham (he/him), executive director of Georgia Equality, Georgia’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, released the following statement in response:

“Quite frankly, the secretive and hasty process by which this was done is despicable. All Georgia students should have equal access to school sports, and efforts to change policies that facilitate that should be done in a transparent and open way. Today’s actions of the GHSA Executive Committee will do real harm to trans kids in Georgia that just want to be themselves and fit in. 

“At no point during the general assembly’s debate of bills that would have had a similarly devastating impact, were the supporters of this change able to present a single example of how allowing transgender students to participate in athletes harmed other students in Georgia. In fact, the legislation that did pass called for a commission to study this issue and recommend action if appropriate.  It is disturbing that this body would act in a rash manner without careful consideration of the implications of this policy change on the well-being of all students or without the thoughtful study that such a complicated and sensitive issue warrants. 

Chanel Haley (she/her), Gender Policy Manager at Georgia Equality said this:

“Unfortunately the GHSA has decided to ignore case precedent by favoring certain students and parents over others.  The decision is discriminatory and divisive. Now because our state policymakers have failed ALL students, we need to look to our federal policymakers to intervene in securing protections and inclusion for ALL student athletes.”

Founded in 1995, Georgia Equality is the state’s largest advocacy organization working to advance fairness, safety and opportunity for Georgia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, and our allies. 

by Wes Sanders

Release: GEORGIA EQUALITY RESPONDS TO GOV. KEMP SIGNING HB 1084

April 29, 2022 (Atlanta, GA) — Jeff Graham (he/him), executive director of Georgia Equality, Georgia’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group, released the following statement in response Gov. Kemp’s signing of HB 1084:

 

“Yesterday, Gov. Kemp continued efforts to rally his political base by signing into law a bill that is both harmful and ill conceived. HB 1084 aims to keep ‘divisive concepts’ out of Georgia classrooms by restricting discussions of race from kindergarten through 12th grade and creates additional state bureaucracy to oversee school sports.

 

“All students in Georgia, without exception, should have access to the highest quality education and extracurricular activities, and that should be the Governor’s priority. His actions today to insert himself in classrooms across the state and to stifle teaching will degrade the quality of a Georgia education for years to come. By limiting training on diversity and inclusion for school personnel, students who come from marginalized communities, including those from minority religious backgrounds, will face additional barriers to a quality education. The great diversity of those who call Georgia home should be seen as a strength to be embraced.  This new law stifles that concept and could set the state back depending upon how it is implemented.

 

“The legislation also reinforces the status quo that the Georgia High School Association has the authority to determine eligibility for participation in high school sports in our state and creates an athletics oversight committee that could consider eligibility for transgender athletes. Our own Speaker of the House, David Ralston, has said he hopes trans kids won’t be targeted or singled out, and we’re committed to working with the association and committee to ensure all Georgia students have the opportunity to participate in school sports. I don’t know what impact his actions today will have on his future political ambitions, but his work to garner votes will have harmful, lasting effects on all Georgia’s students. 

 

Founded in 1995, Georgia Equality is the state’s largest advocacy organization working to advance fairness, safety and opportunity for Georgia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, and our allies.