More than 100 Elected Officials Announce Support for Transgender Youth, Opposition to Transgender Youth Sports Ban

More than 100 Elected Officials Announce Support for Transgender Youth, Opposition to Transgender Youth Sports Ban

In response to the Florida Legislature passing the first anti-LGBTQ law in 23 years, a wave of Florida lawmakers have denounced the attack and stood on the side of transgender youth.  To date, more than 100 current and former members of congress, state lawmakers, mayors, and local elected leaders have signed onto a letter affirming transgender youth, celebrating the state’s diversity, and elevating the economic consequences of anti-LGBTQ policies. 

Elected officials who have not yet signed on can do so here.

Florida Elected Officials in Support of Transgender Youth and in Opposition to the Transgender Youth Sports Ban

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.”

List of Signatories

Last Updated (list in formation): July 15, 2021

Total signers: 130

Florida Cabinet

Commissioner of Agriculture Nicole “Nikki” Fried

Members of Congress

Congressman Charlie Crist

Congressman Ted Deutch

Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powel (former)

Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz

Congressman Darren Soto

State Senators and Representatives

State Senator Lori Berman

State Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book

State Senator Gary Farmer

State Senator Shevrin Jones

State Senator Jason Pizzo

State Senator Tina Polsky

State Senator Darryl Rouson

State Senator Eleanor Sobel (former)

State Senator Linda Stewart

State Senator Victor Torres

State Representative Kristen Arrington

State Representative Robin Bartleman

State Representative Christopher Benjamin

State Representative Kevin Chambliss

State Representative Dan Daley

State Representative Tracie Davis

State Representative Ben Diamond

State Representative Fentrice Driskell

State Representative Nicholas Duran

State Representative Anna Eskamani

State Representative Joy Goff-Marcil

State Representative Margaret Good (former)

State Representative Michael Gottlieb

State Representative Carlos Guillermo-Smith

State Representative Omari Hardy

State Representative Adam Hattersley (former)

State Representative Christine Hunschofsky

State Representative Evan Jenne

State Representative Andrew Learned

State Representative Angie Nixon

State Representative Michele Rayner

State Representative Joe Saunders (former)

State Representative Kelly Skidmore

State Representative Allison Tant

State Representative Geraldine Thompson

State Representative Jennifer Webb

Mayors

Boynton Beach Vice Mayor Ty Panserga

City of Sunny Isles Beach Vice Mayor Larisa Svechin

Cooper City Mayor Greg Ross

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis

Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe

Hollywood Vice Mayor Linda Sherwood

Lake Worth Beach Vice Mayor Herman Robinson

Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber

Miami Beach Vice Mayor Michael Gongora

Miami Shores Mayor Crystal Wagar

Miami Shores Village Vice Mayor Daniel Marinberg

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava

North Miami City Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer

Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner (former)

Pompano Beach Mayor Rex Hardin

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor

Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey

Village of Key Biscayne Mayor Michael Davey

Local Elected Officials

Alachua County Commissioner Mary Alford

Boca Raton Councilmember Monica Mayotte

Boca Raton Councilmember Yvette Drucker

Brevard County School Board Member Jennifer Jenkins

Brevard County Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor Chelsea Partridge

Broward County Commissioner Barbara Sharief

Broward County School Board Member Debra Hixon

Broward County School Board Member Rosalind Osgood

Broward County School Board Member Sarah Leonardi

Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar

Broward County Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott

Broward County Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor Emma Collum

Broward County Soil and Water Conservation Supervisor Alissa Schafer

Coral Springs Commissioner Joy Carter

Coral Springs Commissioner Nancy Metayer

Cutler Bay Council Member B.J. Duncan

Davenport Commissioner Brandon Kneeld (former)

Delray Beach Commissioner Ryan Boylston

Delray Beach City Commissioner Adam Frankel

Duval County School Board Member Elizabeth Andersen

Hallandale Beach Commissioner Sabrina Javellana

Hollywood Commissioner Caryl Shuham

Deerfield Beach Commissioner Bernie Parness

Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Steve Glassman

Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Ben Sorensen

Gainesville Commissioner David Arreola

Gainesville Commissioner Adrian Hayes Santos

Gainesville Commissioner Gail Johnson

Gainesville Commissioner Harvey Ward

Gulfport Councilmember Paul Ray

Haines City Commissioner Anne Huffman

Haverhill Councilman Daniel Sohn (former)

Hillsborough County Commission Vice Chair Kimberly Overman

Hillsborough County School Board Member Jessica Vaughn

Key West Commissioner Jimmy Weekley

Lake Worth Beach Commissioner Sarah Malega

Largo City Commissioner Eric Gerard

Largo Commissioner Michael Smith

Lauderdale Lakes Commissioner Marilyn Davis

Leon County School Board Vice Chair Darryl Jones

Miami Commissioner Ken Russell

Miami Beach Commissioner Joy Malakoff

Miami Beach Commissioner David Richardson

Miami-Dade School Board Member Luisa Santos

Miami-Dade School Board Member Lucia Baez-Geller

Monroe County Commissioner Heather Carruthers (former)

Monroe County Commissioner Mike Forster

North Miami City Clerk Vanessa Joseph

North Miami Councilman Scott Galvin

North Miami Councilman Alix Desulme

Oakland Park Commissioner Mitch Rosenwald

Oakland Park Commissioner Matthew Sparks

Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan

Osceola County Commission Chair Brandon Arrington

Osceola County Commission Vice-Chair Viviana Janer

Palm Beach County Commissioner Mack Bernard

Palm Beach County Commissioner Robert Weinroth

Palm Beach County School Board Member Alexandria Ayala

Parkland Commissioner Jordan Isrow

Pembroke Pines Commissioner Angelo Castillo

Pinecrest Councilmember Anna Hochkammer

Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice

Pinellas County School Board Member Caprice Edmond

Plantation Councilmember Jennifer Andreu

Plantation Council President Denise Horland

Plantation Councilmember Nick Sortal

Sarasota County School Board Member Shirley Brown

St. Petersburg Council Vice Chair Gina Driscoll

St. Petersburg Councilmember Amy Foster

St. Petersburg Councilmember Darden Rice

Tampa Councilmember Luis Viera

Tallahassee Mayor Pro Tem Jeremy Matlow

Tallahassee Commissioner Jack Porter

West Park Commissioner Marvin Price

Wilton Manors Commissioner Mike Bracchi

Wilton Manors Commissioner Julie Carson (former)