<p><strong>Boston MA. November 5 2015</strong>. The Trans Support Caucus of DignityUSA the nation's largest organization for LGBT Catholics is gravely disappointed with Houston's rejection of the city's proposed Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) this past election day. Voters turned down HERO 61 percent to 39 percent after Houston's City Council passed it in 2014.</p> <p>It is sad and scary to live in a society where people vote against what they are ignorant about based on unfounded discriminatory feelings rather than educating themselves and deciding logically with facts said Lui Francesco Matsuo a transgender man and member of DignityUSA's Trans Support Caucus. In the cities that have equal protection laws that include transgender persons there have been zero reported cases of trans people harassing others in the bathroom of their gender identity yet the fear mongering tactics continue to drive bigotry.</p> <p>Additionally Matsuo said allies of the trans community should have denounced these falsehoods more forcefully.</p> <p>Threatening people's children with some hypothetical boogeyman is the oldest trick in elections said Emmanuel Romero a cisgender (non-trans) member of the Trans Support Caucus of DignityUSA. It's frustrating to think the tactic worked again. We as allies need to channel that frustration into positive action and help defend our trans friends and family. We also need to educate people around us when it comes to issues that directly affect out trans loved ones as well as other LGB people.</p> <p>The Trans Support Caucus lists several genuine consequences of rejecting anti-discrimination ordinances such as HERO. These include but are not limited to:</p> <ul> <li> Trans people avoiding or delaying bathroom use out of fear leading to urinary tract infections and other serious health problems.</li> <li> Suicide ideation among LGBT people particularly children and adolescents who internalize negative dialogue about LGBT people from others.</li> <li> A rise in violent attacks on LGBT people.</li> </ul> <p>To fight the ongoing antagonism of LGBT people the Trans Support Caucus of DignityUSA urges all allies particularly friends and family of trans individuals to openly and publicly discuss their support for anti-discrimination legislation that covers both sexual orientation and gender identity. The Caucus also encourages people to volunteer for nonprofit organizations that fight discrimination such as the ACLU or the National Center for Transgender Equality.</p>