Letter Writing in Support of Transgender Rights
by Suzanne Blackburn
Genesee Valley Meeting
At Spring Sessions, April 2024, New York Yearly Meeting approved “Love Thy Neighbor: A minute in support of the dignity and basic human rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people.” In part, the minute reads, “We urge our elected officials to support legislation protecting the rights, safety, and human dignity of all people regardless of their gender identity or gender expression.” In that minute, I heard a call to action for Friends to contact their elected officials. I was led to develop materials which NYYM Friends could use to write to their elected officials, and then sit down with Friends to write those letters.
With the support of some Buffalo Friends and with Cai Quirk, we developed four documents and brought QR codes to link people to the documents on site. For this online version of this article the digital links are below. Note that these documents focus on New York State. Yearly meeting Friends in New Jersey and Connecticut may want to adapt these materials for their own state.
A list of resources which includes links to websites for people to look up New York State and federal elected officials, links to organizations that track NYS legislation related to transgender issues, and links to advocacy organizations. https://docs.google.com/document/d/15N1hfGPZmvBgiJqkCnpZg6qxRyHq-RHcXWR9K1q1W1A/edit?usp=sharing
A sample letter to elected officials that includes a brief description of who we are as NYYM and the text of the minute. This file should be copied and customized by a letter-writer. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WuNGfkUMZykNz_RSVtljMcYhHvJszVD_rcaymfkP_ZI/edit?usp=sharing
A document with the text of the minute and the date it was approved.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RGVQ2l8uBEXu5RfjMbyeBlt8a4x-WfgDscM2ZPoN0TQ/edit?usp=sharing
A list of current bills of concern making their way through the New York State legislature. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bQMWzJM3eS7gOGVvzLIrtRFVvfEb-NuLYQqt061SyHg/edit?usp=sharing
With printed out letters, stamps, envelopes, and QR Code papers in hand, I attended Farmington-Scipio Regional Spring Gathering from May 31 to June 2, 2024. Several Friends joined me in writing a total of 15 letters, which were all sent out the following week.