Trans Arkansans are in a fight for their lives and their list of supporters keeps growing. This week, 11 amicus or friend-of-the-court briefs were filed in the 8th Circuit in support of Arkansas trans youth who are challenging House Bill 1570, a healthcare ban politicians passed last year. And, two of the plaintiffs were featured in The New York Times highlighting the case and this life-saving care.
The briefs include backing from long-time supporters and advocacy groups, including Intransitive and Lucie's Place, national groups like Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, and The Trevor Project, voices of trans adults who've benefited from gender-affirming medical care, other trans youth and their families, major medical groups and medical ethicists, the Institute for Justice, 19 states plus Washington D.C., the U.S. Department of Justice, and major corporations – including LiveRamp, Acxiom, the Walton Family Foundation, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, and the Northwest Arkansas Council.
While there has been a group of solid supporters since day one, this is significant. Voices from across the state and nation are standing up and speaking out against this law which would cause catastrophic harm to transgender youth.
If you have the time, we encourage you to read some of these briefs on our case page here.
While some issue legal support, a few, including "Trans Adult Voices" and "Families with Trans Children," includes stories you may find especially encouraging and compelling. If you don't have time to read them all, take a look at who joined each brief and know that all of these people and groups are using their power to stand up for our trans youth. And please be sure your trans friends know about this amazing support. It is a beautiful thing to behold.
Transgender children shouldn't have to turn to the courts to ensure that they can get the health care that their doctors and parents agree they need. But that's the reality that anti-LGBTQ forces have created as part of their campaign of attacks on transgender youth.
We couldn't have made it this far without your support and we won't stop fighting for trans rights.
The court issued a preliminary injunction on July 21, 2021, preventing this law from going into effect. The injunction is now on appeal. While we are defending our case on appeal, the case is also proceeding to a final trial the week of July 25, 2022.