As a follow up to Linzy’s amazing presentation (find resources here!) Let’s use this time to take action!
Huge thanks to Amber Briggle for putting together resources so you can host your own letter-writing party. Find them here!
Today we will be sending postcards to the following people (so please write 5 postcards – 1 for each)
Your state house rep – FIND YOUR STATE REP HERE
Your state senator – FIND YOUR STATE SENATOR HERE
Speaker Dade Phelan (Speaker of the TX House of Representatives)
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (Lt. Gov of TX and presides over the State Senate)
Gov. Greg Abbott (Governor of Texas – also has veto power)
Tips for writing your letter
Be sure to include your name and mailing address on each postcard. We don’t want their staff to throw away your postcard because they think you live outside the district!
Give them a quick intro about yourself and explain in one sentence why you care about the issue.
Make sure to tell them you’re a constituent – if you’ve lived in the district for a long time, let them know.
Make a specific ask: urge them to support or oppose a specific bill or piece of legislation
Use your story: Include a specific instance in your life where this bill could impact you.
Allow for follow-up, if comfortable: Include your contact information and offer to speak with them or their staff
Get creative! Write the letter by hand, use paper in a different color or size to stand out and get noticed.
Be polite, but firm. Swear words and name calling will only make them mad and give them reason to throw your remarks in the trash.
Keep it brief: stick to one page and one bill or issue
Talking Points:
* The Texas legislature only meets every-other year for 140 days. We have much more important things to focus on than restricting trans kids’ access to sports, health care, books, etc.
- Name an issue that’s important to you! Examples could be: fully funding public schools; passing sensible gun laws; reducing our property taxes; legalizing medical marijuana; fixing the electrical grid to make it more reliable
* 66 percent of Texans support laws that would protect LGBT people from discrimination. Targeting trans kids with these bills does not represent a majority of their constituents.
* Trans kids are KIDS. They don’t have a political agenda. Leave them alone.
* Every major medical association in America supports gender affirming care for transgender patients. Every. Single. One.
* Providing medical care for a child is not child abuse. The child abuse is removing that life-saving care, which is what many of these bills would do.
* Transgender people aren’t the threat. Trans people experience disproportionate levels of violence and discrimination and need PROTECTION.
* Banning books, healthcare, and pronouns won’t make kids less-trans. It will just make trans kids miserable (or dead)
* It costs the state of Texas NOTHING to be kind to LGBTQ people and let them live in peace.
* Mention one or all of the bills on this spreadsheet. Links are included for each bill so you can read the bills specifically and talk about them in detail if you’d like.
* Make it personal! Share your story and write from the heart.
* A note for cis-allies: If you are writing to protect a trans person you know personally, do not use their real name in these postcards as we don’t want to out them to a potentially-dangerous legislator.
More Ways to Help!
Organize another postcard writing party for your church, friends, neighborhood, etc. (See below for more info!)
Donate to the organizations and sign up for email and social media updates: ACLU, Transgender Education Network of Texas, Equality Texas, Texas Freedom Network
Text the word ACTION to 80123 to sign up for action alerts (ways to fight back) with the League of Women Voters
Write a letter to the editor in support of LGBTQ equality
Make sure your voter registration is active and up to date. Then VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION (including school board, city council, and in the primaries!). More info at vote411.org.
Follow Amber Briggle and sign up for her email. She’s the inspiration & primary resource for this letter writing party!
Join the private Informed Parents of Austin Facebook Group to be updated for additional action items on a school district level.
Host Your Own Party!
Use this info to host your own party!
Here’s a link to additional resources that may be helpful
Once you have all your letters collected, save on postage and put them in a manila envelope with this letter included:
Dear (ELECTED OFFICIAL’S NAME HERE),
Enclosed, please find several postcards written by Texas residents and voters. Each one is unique, but they all come from a place of love and support for transgender youth in Texas. We are asking you to oppose all bills that target trans youth, including those that limit or prohibit their access to age appropriate, best practice, life-saving healthcare. Every major medical association in the US supports gender affirming care for transgender people. When trans youth are affirmed as their authentic selves, they thrive.
According to the most recent federal survey administered by the state, 29,800 youth in Texas between the ages 13 and 17 identify as transgender. Each one of these young people deserves the same rights as anyone else, and they are entitled to equal protection under the law. Most Texans agree. Indeed, a recent poll by the nonpartisan Texas Freedom Network found that 66% of Texans oppose discrimination against transgender people.
Trans youth in Texas are students, athletes, musicians, artists, and so much more. They are members of our communities, and they have hopes, dreams, and aspirations just like all children do. They enrich the diversity of the social and cultural fabric that makes Texas such a great state.
Trans youth in Texas don’t have a political agenda. They are just trying to lead their lives – to play, to study, to hang out with friends, and to dream of a bright future. And yet, they have been unfairly stigmatized and persecuted by lawmakers for years. It is time for the baseless attacks to end.
Sincerely,
Your Texas Constituents
Where to Send Your Postcards
Rather than putting postage on every single postcard, bundle all of them together and mail in a large manila envelope to each individual legislator or leader. Use this Google doc to find the mailing addresses of Texas lawmakers.
You can also mail your postcards to Equality Texas and they will hand-deliver them to lawmakers. That way they cannot deny that they never received any messages from constituents about these bills. Mail to:
Equality Texas
Attn: Gordy Carmona
PO Box 2340
Austin, TX 78768