Media Contact: Brandi Hardy, North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
Phone: 701-425-6923
Email: info@ndhrc.org
BISMARCK, ND: The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition (NDHRC), a grassroots network of North Dakotans working toward the advancement of human rights in North Dakota through education and public policy, and Tri-State Transgender commend Governor Burgum for his decision to veto House Bill 1298. The bill targeted transgender children in North Dakota and sought to ban them from playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity.
“We are incredibly grateful to Governor Burgum for his veto of House Bill 1298, and Governor Burgum’s veto sends a loud message to other lawmakers across the country considering similar legislation: Stop the attacks on transgender youth. North Dakotans should be outraged that transgender youth, who already face higher levels of discrimination, were chosen to be the target of this hateful legislation. We thank our many allies who also came forward to oppose HB 1298. Governor Burgum’s veto shows that discrimination is not a North Dakota value.”
– Katrina Koesterman, President of Tri-State Transgender
“Thank you to Governor Burgum for doing the right thing by vetoing this dangerous bill. From the very beginning, there was overwhelming opposition to HB 1298 from multiple sectors, including business, education, healthcare, and advocacy, all of whom saw through this thinly veiled attempt to codify discrimination into state law. Hundreds, if not thousands of North Dakotans contacted the governor demanding a veto of this discriminatory bill, and we were heard! We thank Governor Burgum for shutting down this harmful bill and for standing up to out-of-touch politicians on the fringe who have long histories of attacking North Dakota’s LGBTQ+ community.”
– Brandi Hardy, Legislative Coordinator of North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition (NDHRC) is a grassroots network of North Dakotans working toward the advancement of human rights in North Dakota through education and public policy.
Tri-State Transgender works to advance the needs of the transgender community through education, support, and advocacy in North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. Tri-State Transgender affirms the right to one’s self-determination of gender identity.