Education Action Alliance Statement on Superintendent Horne’s Call to Ban Gender-Affirming Care for Youth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 20, 2025

Phoenix, AZ – This week, Superintendent Tom Horne announced his intent to pursue a new Arizona law banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth – mirroring the Tennessee Law recently upheld by the Supreme Court in U.S. v. Skrmetti.

Let’s be clear: This is a political move, not a protective one. Horne’s proposal doesn’t protect children, it targets them.

Under the guise of “protecting minors, ” Horne is attempting to ban access to medically necessary care for transgender youth, going far beyond current Arizona law and setting the stage for a future where only some students have the right to grow up safe, affirmed and well. By calling gender-affirming care ”harmful” he’s spreading dangerous disinformation that contradicts major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association. 

Trans youth are not a problem to solve. They are students who deserve care, community and competent administrators who center each student's best interest.

Right now, Arizona families still have the right to work with healthcare providers decisions for their kids. What Horne is proposing is a sweeping government overreach: a ban that strips parents of their rights and places politicians between families and doctors. He’s calling this “long past due.” We call it what it is, an attack. 

As we said in response to Skrmetti, bans don’t work in isolation. They spread. They replicate. And even where they don’t become law, they create fear and discourage access to care.

“The promise of equal protection shouldn’t depend on where you live or who’s in office. We will fight to ensure Arizona does not follow Tennessee’s path. Every student deserves the right to be themselves, access care, and learn in peace.”

— Carol Tappenden, Executive Director, Education Action Alliance

We’ve seen this playbook before. One state passes a ban, and others rush to follow. Superintendent Horne wants Arizona to be next, we want Arizona to be better. 

We’ve been in this fight – and we’re not backing down.

Education Action Alliance is working alongside parents, students, educators, and healthcare providers across Arizona to protect trans youth and push back against this dangerous proposal.

We’re calling on our community to stay engaged, speak out, and stand firm. Whether it’s showing up at the Capitol, contacting lawmakers, or organizing locally – this is the moment to act.

To lawmakers: we’re watching.

To our community: we’re organizing.

To trans youth across Arizona: we’ve got you.

Call Tom Horne (602) 542-5460 now and give him the message that Trans Kids Belong In School!

Join us. Push back. Stay loud.

Media Contact: media@educationactionalliance.org

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Education Action Alliance envisions a future where all queer students thrive in school. Every student has the right to be affirmed and supported at school—but for many queer* students, this promise is broken. When these students are free to learn without discrimination, the entire school community thrives. We educate, advocate, and organize for inclusive schools where all queer students are valued and inspired to reach their full potential.

* We use the word queer to reflect a broad spectrum of LGBTQIA2S+ identities, including students who are intersex, asexual, nonbinary, questioning, or still exploring how they identify. This is the language many young people in our community use to describe themselves today—and we honor that by using the terms that reflect how they see and celebrate their own identities.

We recognize that for some, queer carries painful history. We choose it with care, knowing that it has been reclaimed by a new generation as a word of pride, power, and possibility—and that it reflects the future we’re working to build.