GLSEN Executive Director Responds to Tennessee Ban on Gender Affirming Care

GLSEN Executive Director Responds to Tennessee Ban on Gender-Affirming Care

Today, after Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill that would prevent transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care, GLSEN Executive Director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers (they/she) released the following statement:

“Tennessee lawmakers are on a mission to silence and erase LGBTQ+ youth — and we won’t stay quiet about these egregious attacks. Gender-affirming care saves lives, and every single major medical association in the U.S. supports gender-affirming care for youth. Removing access to care will have tragic consequences, and GLSEN research shows that LGBTQ+ youth in Tennessee are already facing hostile school environments and a lack of inclusive resources. We’re going to continue to fight to ensure that all LGBTQ+ youth have access to the care and resources they need to thrive.”

About GLSEN

GLSEN is a multi-racial, intergenerational LGBTQ+ organization working nationally and locally to transform K-12 educational systems in the United States. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach millions of students and educators in K-12 schools, via action at the national, state, and local level. Since 1990, GLSEN has improved conditions for LGBTQ+ students across the United States and helped launch an international movement to address LGBTQ+ issues in education.