CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – Today, Republicans on the House Education Committee voted on party lines against passage of HB 136, and subsequently moved to recommend killing the bill outright. The bill would require schools to update documents and software to include the option of identifying a student as non-binary. Rep. Joshua Query (D-Manchester), Vice Chair of the Stonewall Democrats and Chair of the LGBTQ+ Legislative Caucus released the following statement:
“It was extremely disappointing to be part of the debate and see HB 136 rejected on party lines today. Nationally, a majority of high schoolers identify as something other than straight and cis-gendered. A huge population of granite state students would benefit from this simple bill.
As one of two non-binary legislators in the country, I can attest how crucial this legislation is and how life-affirming an acknowledgment of gender identity can be to a non-binary student. If this was an option when I was a student, it could have allowed me to come to terms with my gender earlier in life.