We are witnessing how recent debates and legislation targeting transgender people are not just abstract policy disputes but real actions that affect lives, including those of youth who are already among the most vulnerable members of our community.
These laws are being discussed and passed at both state and national levels, restricting access to health care, participation in sports, safe bathrooms, and basic dignity for transgender children and teenagers. Still, through it all, the LGBTQ community and our allies in Alaska and beyond remain hopeful, resilient, and determined to continue advocating for equal rights and full inclusion for all.
A new national report from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law examines the growing patchwork of state laws affecting transgender youth and highlights the scale of impact on young people across the United States. According to this research, an estimated 53 percent of transgender youth ages 13 to 17 — about 382,800 young people — live in one of 29 states that restricts their access to healthcare, sports, public bathrooms and facilities, or affirming gender pronouns, including 262,700 (36 percent) that live in states with all four types of restrictions.
These restrictions not only limit opportunities but also send damaging messages to youth about belonging and worth. Yet advocates and families continue to raise their voices in support of evidence-based care and affirming policies. “The resulting patchwork of laws and policies is creating very different lived realities for transgender youth across the United States,” observed the report’s lead author, Joshua Arrayales, Law Fellow at the Williams Institute, underscoring how place of residence alone can shape a young person’s ability to be safe, supported, and affirmed.
In Alaska, we see the same spirit of resistance and solidarity emerging. Community organizers, service providers, organizations, families, and allies are building networks of care — from legal support to mental health resources — so that trans youth can thrive despite hostile policy environments. We believe that every young person deserves access to respect, opportunity, and care that honors who they are.
As anti-trans legislation continues to spread, Alaskans Together renews our commitment to stand with LGBTQ youth, to elevate their voices, and to work for a fair and just Alaska where all people are free to live authentically and without fear.
Read more: The Impact of 2025 Anti-Transgender Legislation on Youth, The Williams Institute