Urgent action needed this weekend to stop South Dakota anti-trans bill

One of the worst anti-trans bills in the country is dangerously close to becoming law in South Dakota.

 

On Thursday, state senators voted to send HB 1008 to a full Senate vote, expected to take place this coming Tuesday or Wednesday. Since the South Dakota House already voted in favor of this bill, the Senate vote is one of the final steps the bill needs to take before it becomes law.

 

HB 1008 attacks trans kids by forcing them to use restrooms that that don’t match their gender or segregating them in isolated single-user restrooms. That’s not about safety and privacy: that’s about stigmatizing trans children just because of who they are—something that supporters of this bill have made painfully clear. And if this bill passes, it won’t just hurt students in South Dakota: it can pave the way for attacks on trans people all over the country. With at least thirteen states now considering anti-trans bills, that’s not a loss we can afford.

 

Just this past week, legislators in Washington and Virginia recognized that attacking trans students is wrong and rejected bills just like HB 1008. But anti-trans extremists have a well-organized, well-funded operation underway to lobby South Dakota legislators, and some senators are feeling the pressure. Now is the time for South Dakota residents to speak up and make sure senators know that their constituents will not stand for intolerance.

 

To every South Dakotan who believes in equality, we urge you to contact legislators this weekend. If you can, send them an email, give them a call, or set up one-on-one or small group meetings with them to ask them to give every student a chance to be part of a safe, supportive school community. And if you’d like to learn more about this bill or have any questions about talking with your legislator, contact us. We’re here to provide whatever support you need to join the fight.

 

And to trans people and our allies around the country, the battle in South Dakota affects us all. Reach out to your friends in South Dakota to ask them to speak out. And if you live in a state where there’s an anti-trans bill, make sure you hold your own state legislators accountable. Find out more about what you can do to stop attacks in state legislatures at NCTE’s Action Center.