We, the below signed elected public servants of the State of Florida, denounce any efforts to discriminate against our state’s transgender youth. We stand united to oppose all attempts to enshrine anti-LGBTQ+ legislation into law and reject efforts to exclude transgender people from public life, including participation in sports. The recent action from leaders in the Florida Capitol that removes transgender youth from teams and  categorically bans transgender students from future participation in sports is discriminatory and creates enormous risk for schools and universities tasked with implementing a poorly constructed policy that threatens expensive lawsuits if transgender young girls are allowed to play. These measures threaten our economy even as we work daily to rebuild the industries most harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Industries that are most impacted by the terrible signals this sends about who we are. Florida is a state that should be open for all. A state where every visitor, business, resident, and player can thrive.

We, the undersigned, recognize that our transgender youth are our state’s most vulnerable. They are most likely to experience violence or to be marginalized in their communities. As elected leaders we should be working to build the understanding of our communities about their unique needs. The anti-trans attacks from our state leaders are deeply troubling, are rooted in anti-LGBTQ animus, and must be challenged. We stand in stark contrast to this animus and stand together in our commitment to create communities that embrace diversity and inclusion for all Floridians - especially transgender Floridians.  

Let’s be clear.  The transgender youth sports ban is a threat to all Floridians. The consequences for states that have passed anti-LGBTQ+ laws are clear. States like North Carolina, Texas and Georgia have lost billions in revenue from lost conventions, canceled tournaments and tourism boycotts after passing anti-LGBTQ laws. We stand together with the Miami Heat, Misfits Gaming Group, and the NCAA who oppose this legislation to block trans youth from playing in secondary and post-secondary schools.

For over a decade, athletics in Florida have been guided by policies that balance the competitive nature of sports with the necessity to give transgender students access to the educational, development, and leadership opportunities that participating on a sports team can provide. Reversing existing policy and replacing it with an unwarranted blanket ban is wrong.

Transgender youth deserve our love and support, not cruel attacks because of who they are. We celebrate our diversity in Florida as our strength and believe that everyone, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, should have the freedom to be who they are. All Floridians, including transgender Floridians, deserve the opportunities, education, and freedoms that come from the ability to play.

We call on the Governor and all elected leaders to reverse this dangerous path and allow existing guidelines, not fear and ignorance to prevail.

The undersigned stand together in our commitment to, “Let the Kids Play.”