Sunday, June 12, 10:00 AM: Last night, a student helping to organize the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition's Solidarity Rally for Trans Youth received a credible death threat from an anonymous individual targeting the rally's location, time, and date.
Organized in partnership with Georgia Equality, Atlanta Pride, PLFAG, Our Turn GA, Feminist Women's Health Center, SOJOURN, and more, the rally was intended to share stories of trans youth facing discrimination from the Georgia High School Sports Association's recent ban on k12 athletics for transgender students. The Solidarity Rally was scheduled for 2-4 pm ET today (Sunday, June 12) at Liberty Plaza.
Out of concern for the safety of organizers and attendees - including dozens of trans, queer, and allied students - the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition has decided to postpone today's rally indefinitely. We hope to use this moment to shed light on the threats faced by trans people every day. LGBTQ+ Georgians deserve better.
Yesterday, Americans saw an attempted attack by dozens of armed extremists on a pride march in Idaho. Over the past few months, we have seen a rise in violent rhetoric and physical threats towards trans and queer people in our country - some of these threats taking the form of legislation.
One of the rally organizers, a queer student based in Atlanta, said, "In Georgia, legislators chose to ignore gun violence, underfunded schools, and voter suppression to instead spend their time targeting trans students in Georgia schools through the passage of HB 1084. When our elected officials decide that dehumanizing and targeting vulnerable youth is permissible, they feed the flames of the extremist threats we face today."
The Georgia Youth Justice Coalition remains committed to the fight for trans rights in our schools and beyond and intends to reschedule as soon as safely possible. We will not be deterred by hatred, because we know the goal of anti-trans extremists is to drive us to fear. Our top priority remains the safety, rights, and wellbeing of trans students in Georgia - we are grateful for everyone standing alongside us in this effort.
A Press Conference will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, June 15 at 10:00am ET.