Human Rights Campaign: Reports of Texas AG's Attempts to Collect Data on Trans Adults Are a Terrifying Overstep into the Lives and Privacy of LGBTQ+ People

Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2022 - Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, responded to reports of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's purported efforts to collect names and other identifiable information of transgender adults living throughout the state. As originally reported by The Washington Post this morning, the Texas Department of Public Safety received communication from Paxton's office earlier this year requesting a total number of gender marker changes on driver's licenses since 2020, later expressing interest in names and full license numbers as well.

Human Rights Campaign Legal Director Sarah Warbelow released the following statement:

"For the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, but for transgender Americans in particular, today's story out of Texas is chilling. Weaponizing state agencies and their public records to pinpoint and single out transgender Texans is terrifying, albeit not shocking. Throughout 2022, Attorney General Paxton, along with Governor Abbot, have stopped at nothing to attack the very existence of transgender youth and adults. This development shows how far they're willing to go in discriminating against transgender people. HRC stands with all members of the trans community in Texas who are living in an even higher state of emergency today, as we will continue to hold extremist officials accountable."

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.