>>> THIS MORNING THE FATE OF A
SWEEPING AND POTENTIALLY
HISTORIC PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS
NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE SENATE
AFTER THE HOUSE APPROVED THE
EQUALITY ACT.
IT’S A MASSIVE BILL THAT WOULD
EXTEND FEDERAL
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS
TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY BY MAKING
IT ILLEGAL TO DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST SOMEBODY BASED ON THEIR
GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL
ORIENTATION.
THIS IS A BILL CONGRESS HAS
TRIED TO PASS IN SOME FORM FOR
NEARLY HALF A CENTURY.
IT’S AN IDEA SO OLD THAT THE O
TWO LAWMAKERS WHO ORIGINALLY
INTRODUCED IT HAVE DIED SINCE
THEN.
THE HOUSE MOST RECENTLY PASSED
IT IN MAY OF 2019 BUT
REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROLLED THE
SENATE THEN NEVER BROUGHT IT UP
FOR A VOTE.
IT’S ALL HAPPENING AS MORE
AMERICAN ADULTS, 5.6%, IDENTIFY
AS GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL,
TRANSGENDER OR NOT HETEROSEXUAL
AND THE NUMBER IS HIGHER FOR GEN
Z, PEOPLE BORN BETWEEN 1997 AND
AMERICANS CONSIDER THEMSELVES
LGBTQ.
IT’S HAPPENING AT MORE
ANTI-TRANS RHETORIC MAKES
HEADLINES.
CPAC HAS A MEETING TO PROTECT
WOMEN’S SPORTS FROM TRANSGENDER
ATHLETES.
BILLS ARE BEING INTRODUCED ABOUT
TRANSGENDER YOUTH.
IN 16 STATES THERE ARE BILLS TO
LIMIT HEALTH CARE ACCESS FOR
THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 16.
SOME ARE TARGETING SPORTS.
24 STATES ARE CONSIDERING BILLS
TO STOP CERTAIN TRANSGENDER
STUDENTS FROM BEING A PART OF
THEIR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE
ATHLETICS PROGRAMS.
JOINING ME NOW TWO ATHLETES WHO
ARE TRANSGENDER AT THE CENTER OF
DIFFERENT ONGOING LEGAL BATTLES
REPRESENTED BY THE ACLU WHO
CONNECTED US WITH BOTH YOU.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> HELLO.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON.
>> HELLO.
>> THANKS FOR BEING ON.
ANDREA, LET ME START WITH YOU.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS AT
STAKE.
IF PASSED, MANY OF THE STATES
WOULD BAN TRANS WOMEN TO COMPETE
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
WHAT DID IT MEAN TO RUN YOUR
HIGH SCHOOL CAREER WITH WOMEN?
>> I THINK IT MEANT EVERYTHING
TO ME TO BE ABLE TO RUN AS A
GENDER IDENTIFIED AND TO RUN AS
WHO I KNOW I AM.
I THINK IT MADE ALL THE
DIFFERENCE.
AGAIN, I WAS ABLE TO BE MYSELF
IN A SPACE WITH WHICH I FELT
COMFORTABLE AND WITH WHICH I
JUST FELT THAT I COULD SUCCEED
IN MY MOST AUTHENTIC SELF.
>> LET’S KEEP THE CONVERSATION
UP ABOUT THE STAKES.
LINDSEY IN IDAHO, THIS IS THE
LAW.
WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE WHEN THE
LAW PASSED BANNING YOU FROM EVER
BEING ON A WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY
TEAM?
>> YEAH.
I WAS PRETTY FRUSTRATED AND
ANNOYED.
HONESTLY, EVER SINCE I HEARD
ABOUT IT, INTRODUCED AS A BILL,
I WAS A LITTLE EXPECTING OF THIS
RESULT.
NONETHELESS, I’M STILL GOING TO
FIGHT THIS AS HARD AS I CAN.
I’M HONESTLY NOT AS UPSET AS YOU
MIGHT THINK MAYBE JUST BECAUSE
I’VE GOTTEN USED TO THIS KIND OF
DISCRIMINATION.
>> YOU TALK ABOUT WANTING TO
FIGHT THIS.
YOU DECIDED TO SUE THE STATE FOR
THE CHANCE TO BE ON A WOMEN’S
TEAM.
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO GET THE
COURTS INVOLVED?
>> YEAH.
I WAS JUST FEELING OVERWHELMED
AT THE AMOUNT OF ANTI-HGBT
DISCRIMINATION SPECIFICALLY HERE
IN IDAHO.
I WANTED A CHANCE TO TRY OUT.
LIKE, I DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO
SIT ON SIDELINES IN THE TRYOUT
PROCESS BECAUSE OF A LAW.
THEY SHOULD GIVE ME A CHANCE TO
SEE IF I’M GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE
TEAM.
>> ANDREA, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT
LEGAL SITUATION.
YOUR CASE IS UNIQUE.
I KNOW YOU FACED HATE FROM A LOT
OF DIFFERENT ARENAS, ONLINE, AT
MEETINGS.
AS WE EXPLAINED, WE HAVE MORE
AMERICANS WHO ARE IDENTIFYING AS
TRANSGENDER AS GENERATIONS GOING
ON.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO YOUNGER
TRANS ATHLETES WHO ARE STARING
DOWN THESE BILLS?
>> MY MESSAGE WOULD BE TO
CONTINUE TO REMEMBER WHAT YOU
ARE DOING THIS FOR.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF HATE AND
BACKLASH CAN GET INTO PEOPLE’S
HEADS AND CAN REALLY INFLUENCE
YOUR THINKING A LOT OF THE TIMES
AND REALLY DISCOURAGE SOME.
BUT I THINK THAT JUST REMEMBER
WHY YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR WHAT
YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR.
YOU HAVE A HUGE SUPPORT SYSTEM
WITHIN THE TRANS COMMUNITY AND
LGBTQ COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
REMEMBER WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS
AND KNOW YOU HAVE A HUGE SUPPORT
SYSTEM BEHIND YOU.
>> HAVE YOU FELT THOSE MOMENTS
OF DISCOURAGEMENT?
HOW DID YOU GET PAST THAT?
>> YES, A LOT OF THE TIMES I DID
HAVE PEOPLE SAYING CERTAIN
THINGS.
I THINK A WAY IN WHICH I DEALT
WITH IT WAS -- MY SUPPORT SYSTEM
AND HAVING MY TEAMMATES, MY
FRIENDS, FAMILY AND EVEN MY
IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY AT SCHOOL,
WAS HAVING ALL OF THEM BE THERE
FOR ME CONSTANTLY, HAVING THEM
PICK MY HEAD UP WHEN THINGS GOT
TOUGH AND JUST HAVING SOMEONE TO
TALK TO A LOT OF TIMES HELPED ME
NOT FOCUS ON ALL THE NEGATIVE
AND JUST CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON
WHY I’M RUNNING AND WHY I’M ON
THE TRACK TEAM.
>> LINDSEY, I WONDER IF YOU
TRIED TO FOCUS ON THE SUPPORT --
A FEDERAL JUDGE IS TRYING TO
BLOCK THE LAW IN IDAHO WRITING,
IT’S NOT JUST THE CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS OF TRANS GENDER RIGHTS OF
GIRLS AND WOMEN BUT OF EVERY
GIRL AND WOMAN ATHLETE IN IDAHO.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE THAT
SUPPORT?
>> I’M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE
SUPPORT I’VE GOTTEN.
I ULTIMATELY FEEL LIKE THIS IS
GOING TO GET REPEALED.
WE’RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING
THAT.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, I CAN
UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY’RE
THINKING.
BUT ULTIMATELY, I’M NOT AT ANY
ADVANTAGE.
I THINK THERE WOULD BE TONS AND
TONS OF TRANS WOMEN IN EVERY
SINGLE SPORT IF WE WERE REALLY
AT SOME FUNDAMENTAL ADVANTAGE.
BUT THAT’S NOT TRUE.
OLYMPICS HAVE NOT SEEN ANY TRANS
WOMEN COMPETING IN EVENTS.
I WILL JUST HAVE TO KEEP
FIGHTING AND DO WHAT I KNOW IS
RIGHT AND EVENTUALLY WE’LL GET
THAT RESULT THAT I’M HOPING FOR.
>> LINDSEY, ANDREA, THANK YOU