Statewide — Today a coalition of 19 LGBTQ+ organizations in Delaware sent a letter to Governor Meyer’s office. The letter urges the Governor to take bold action in support of the rights of transgender people in Delaware in response to both federal and state-level attacks the community is facing.
Nationwide, the trans community is facing issues of bathroom bans, limitations to gender affirming healthcare, erasure from LGBTQ historical records, and much more in the wake of the Trump administration’s gender-based civil rights attacks since inauguration. This comes at a time when Delaware’s own Representative Sarah McBride—the nation’s first openly transgender member of Congress—has faced public acts of misgendering and disrespect from national colleagues, and Sussex County Sen. Bryant Richardson has filed a federal complaint attempting to restrict trans students from participating in school sports teams.
While many in Delaware are rallying in support of the trans community, the Governor’s office has failed to provide any concrete support or protection for vulnerable Delawareans who are worried about their ability to live safe and fulfilling lives that are true to their identities. After recent commentary from the Governor and his spokesperson Nick Merlino stating, “Gov. Meyer doesn’t believe that trans girls should be playing in girls’ sports,” LGBTQ organizations and community groups are pushing back and demanding more supportive leadership.
The letter states: “If we allow the oppression of one group, we open the path for other groups to be oppressed. If we allow for the cruel bullying of the transgender community, it allows for the bullying of women, people of color, and those who are disabled... The statements from the office of Governor Meyer are very concerning as they indicate, at best, an ambiguous stance, and at worst opposition, in a moment when we need clear and unequivocal support of our community.”
The ACLU of Delaware has collected approximately 1,800 signatures over the last few months calling for Gov. Meyer to take decisive action in support of the LGBTQ community, in addition to other non-cooperation tactics designed to protect Delaware from federal attacks on civil rights.
Signees of the letter include: ACLU of Delaware, Delaware Sexuality and Gender Collective, Orgullo Delaware, Delaware Queer Social, Delaware Queer Kickball, Transitions Delaware, LLC, Rising Hope Therapy Sussex Pride I Am Me, Inc., FreeLee Life Services, Dr. Brett E. Herb, Bisexual Resource Center, Delaware Pride, PFLAG Wilmington, PFLAG Rehoboth Beach, Bulletproof Pride, Rehoboth TransLiance, Our Night Out, Delaware Stone PAC, Trans Refuge Now, and PTK Delaware.
Read the full letter below.
