Native Movement Blog
Protect 2S/LGBTQ Alaskan Students
Our legislators should be PROTECTING 2S/LGBTQ Alaskan students, NOT causing them further harm
The Alaska Senate Education Committee will have its first hearing of the year on Senate Bill 140 — an anti-trans bill that would prevent a trans student being able to pick a sports team that matches their gender.
SB 140 is yet another bill in a nationwide anti-trans state legislation campaign that has negatively impacted the mental health of 85% of 2S/LGBTQ youth across the country. Our legislators should be PROTECTING 2S/LGBTQ Alaskan students, NOT causing them further harm. // TO TESTIFY: Call the Juneau Legislative Information Office at 907-465-4648 at least five minutes prior to the start of the committee hearing.
SB 140 is a blatantly discriminatory bill designed to exclude transgender girls and deny them the ability to participate fully in sports and school community. This bill will profoundly violate all students’ privacy by forcing educators and coaches to identify and separate transgender youth from their peers.
This bill is part of a coordinated attack on transgender student athletes across the country. Like so- called “bathroom bills,” these policies aim to erase and exclude trans people from sports, school communities, and all aspects of public life.
TESTIFY: Thursday, March 3rd at 10:00am in OPPOSITION to SB 140
How to Testify at the Hearing:
- Call five minutes before the hearing. Calling from:
- Anchorage (907)-563-9085
- Juneau (907)-586-9085
- Fairbanks (844)-586-9085
- All other locations in Alaska (844)-586-9085
- Ask to be redirected to the Senate Education Committee meeting to provide public
testimony on SB 140
- Stay on the line, when it is time to testify they will call on you and unmute your line
- Be sure to state your name, where you live, and that you oppose SB 140
Unable to call in to testify? No problem-- you can email or call committee members any time!
Senate Education Committee (where the bill is now) - Senate.Education@akleg.gov
● Chair Roger Holland (R - Anchorage, N), 907-465-4843, Senator.Roger.Holland@akleg.gov
● Vice Chair Gary Stevens (R - Homer, P) 907-465-4925, Senator.Gary.Stevens@akleg.gov
● Member Shelley Hughes (R - Palmer, F) 907-465-3743, Senator.Shelley.Hughes@akleg.gov
● Member Peter Micchiche (R - Soldotna, O) 907-465-2828, Senator.Peter.Micciche@akleg.gov
● Member Tom Begich (D - Anchorage, J) 907-465-3704, Senator.Tom.Begich@akleg.gov
Testimony Tips
● State your name
● State the community you live in (your district or zipcode is fine, don’t share your address)
● Thank the committee for their time
● State that you oppose SB 140
● Give a few sentences about why you oppose SB 140
● Restate opposition to SB 140
SB 140 Talking Points
● Discriminatory bills like SB 140/HB 230* heighten trans students’ risk of being bullied and attacked, which increases their risk of mental health issues and suicide.
● Denying trans students the opportunity to participate strips them of the many benefits of participating in sports, including better self-esteem, increased sense of belonging, and improved grades.
● This bill would violate basic privacy rights by requiring educators and coaches to police whether a student is trans or not, which the school is not legally or ethically authorized to do under medical privacy laws, professionalism standards, and non-discrimination laws.
● This bill imposes a narrow and unscientific definition of “sex” that invalidates gender identity – this is contrary to the growing consensus of medical and mental health professionals, not to mention federal law.
● There is simply no data to support fairness concerns when trans athletes participate, especially since less than 0.6% of people identify as transgender and not all want to play sports.
● These bill targets students of color – who are already routinely policed, shamed, and dehumanized in school settings – and will face outsized consequences, as administrators and other athletes perpetuate racist and sexist stereotypes about femininity and gender presentation.
● This bill will lead to the stigmatization and isolation of trans students, undermining their health, safety, and social and emotional development.
There are real issues with gender parity in sports, like unequal funding, resources, and pay. Promoting baseless fears about trans athletes does nothing to address these pressing problems. SB 140 does not solve any real issues, and instead actively stigmatizes, isolates, and denies basic participation in school activities to trans students. To protect students’ privacy and push back against discrimination, lawmakers must oppose this bill: let trans students be part of the team.
#AKLeg This Week
Each of the following sessions this week
will be livestreamed on www.akleg.gov
On Tuesday March 1 there are two hearings:
10:15 in House Energy - No Public Comment - House Bill 299 was introduced by Governor Dunleavy and encourages nuclear energy development in Alaska by eliminating the current statutory requirement that the legislature be involved in designating land for nuclear energy sites.
3:00 in House Social Service committee - Public Testimony Opportunity - Critical state services and programs are at risk with the proposed split of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. The split will only add to the financial cost of social service. Take Action Here with AKPIRG.
On Thursday March 3 there are two hearings:
10:00 AM in the Alaska Senate Education Committee - First hearing of the year on Senate Bill 140 — an anti-trans bill that would prevent a trans student being able to pick a sports team that matches their gender. SB 140 is yet another bill in a nationwide anti-trans state legislation campaign that has negatively impacted the mental health of 85% of 2S/LGBTQ youth across the country. Our legislators should be PROTECTING 2S/LGBTQ Alaskan students, NOT causing them further harm // TO TESTIFY: Call the Juneau Legislative Information Office at 907-465-4648 at least five minutes prior to the start of the committee hearing. Review other #AKLeg testifying tips here: http://akleg.gov/docs/pdf/AKLEG_Testimony_Instructions.pdf
3:30 in Senate State Affairs - Invited Testimony Only - HB 123 The Tribal Recognition Bill is getting a hearing with invited testimony only. Take Action to support this bill with Native Peoples Action.
3:30 in Senate State Affairs - Public Testimony Opportunity - SB 167/HB 286 are companion bills, introduced by Gov. Dunleavy, that will make it harder to vote in Alaska, putting our democracy at risk. This bill removes automatic voter registration, prevents voters from using an alternate ID to vote, and prevents family members and friends from helping each other vote. Learn more and take action with the Alaska Center.
