On June 9, the PES SIG on Transgender Health sent a letter in support of the U.S. Department of Education guidance on the rights of transgender students, to the governors of the 12 states that have refused to follow them (AL, AZ, GA, LA, ME, MS, OK, TN, TX, UT, WI, WV). States that do not follow these guidance are at risk of losing federal funds for public education. Some of these states are in the process of filing a lawsuit against the federal government.
The U.S. Department of Education guidance on the rights of transgender students, recommends that transgender students use restrooms, locker rooms and other facilities that are consistent with their gender identity, as well as the appropriate use of preferred names and pronouns. The PES SIG on Transgender Health agrees that this kind of support in schools is crucial for the optimal psychosocial development of transgender youth.