IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
OMAHA, NE: Central High School Students Walk Out, Protesting Transphobic Legislation
On Friday, March 31, at 2:30 p.m., Central High School students will walk out of school. This protest is in observance of the Trans Day of Visibility and in protest of bills introduced to the state legislature that target transgender students. The organizers believe that LB574 will prevent transgender youth from accessing life-saving medical care and LB575 will endanger transgender students by preventing them from accessing gender-affirming bathrooms and school sports.
The event will happen on the South side of Central High School, 124 N 20th Street. The event will begin with speeches by student activists and Nebraska Executive Director of Planned Parenthood North Central States And Curry Grubb followed by protestors lining Dodge street with signs and chants. The event will conclude at approximately 3:15 p.m.
Organizer and high school junior Charlie Yale says, “Nebraska must be for everyone – this includes young transgender individuals. As it stands, it is already hard enough for young transgender Nebraskans to access physical and mental healthcare resources because of preexisting stigma. If the legislature continues to spread harmful and blatantly false rhetoric surrounding transgender people and gender affirming care, people will die in this state.Nebraska’s lawmakers must stop attempting to codify discrimination against transgender people in the state, and that starts with scrapping LB574 and LB575.”
Organizer and high school senior Noa Gilbert says, “As Nebraska students, we refuse to tolerate the Nebraska legislature’s continued attacks on transgender youth. We elected our representatives to represent us, not to pass bills that attack vulnerable young people’s abilities to live as themselves, receive affirming medical care, and be affirmed in school environments. We hope our lawmakers pay attention to how fervently Nebraska’s young people oppose the transphobic attacks of LB574 and LB574.”