Anti-LGBTQ+ New Hampshire State Representatives have added an amendment to the state budget that includes the text of the "bathroom ban" bill that would allow any business to declare that their bathrooms are organized based on "biological sex." The budget also contains an amendment that would prohibit the state itself, as well as municipalities and school districts, from engaging in any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-related efforts, training or policies, cutting off state funding for DEI measures, including public schools. The amendment would also immediately cut off state funding for any public school in New Hampshire that continues DEI initiatives.

Most Granite Staters, no matter our gender, race, ability, or background, know that transgender people are valued members of our communities, and are no threat in public bathrooms. And most of us believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion simply mean increasing respect, belonging, and opening doors of opportunity and support, rather than quotas. Politicians are overreaching by using the government - and especially the state budget - to control localities and schools. We should be seeking to better understand each other across differences, not allowing politicians to further divide us.