The trans community in Arkansas is continuing to organize against the anti-trans bills sweeping the state. This week, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy joined the local advocacy group inTRANSitive in calling for major entities to boycott hosting events in the state, as well as a boycott of the corporations who are funding supporters of anti-trans bills.
The open letter, released Wednesday, demands collective action to defeat the four anti-trans bills passed by the state legislature this year. “The people attacking us are funded by corporations and their money talks,” the letter reads. But collectively we can talk over them.”
The bills in question are House Bill 1570, which bans transition care for minors as well as the use of state funds for any manner of transition care; Senate Bill 354, which prohibits trans girls from competing in girls’ scholastic sports; SB 289, a religious exemption for healthcare providers which would allow them to deny care to LGBTQ+ individuals; and SB 622, a hate crimes bill that doesn’t include any LGBTQ+ protections.
Walmart and Tyson are among the major corporations included in the letter’s call for consumer boycotts. Walmart’s owners, the Walton family, recently expressed “alarm” over the anti-trans legislation in Arkansas.
However, according to Exposed by the Center for Media and Democracy, a watchdog organization that follows the money behind discriminatory legislation, Walmart is one of the largest corporate donors to many of the legislators sponsoring the bills. The company and its political action committee (PAC) have given over $160,000 to the campaigns of conservative state legislators over the course of their political careers.
Tyson Foods, which is headquartered in Springdale, has “stood by silently” while the legislation has passed, advocates note.
The letter also asks the NCAA to deny Arkansas the opportunity to host games. After months of silence, the NCAA released its strongest statement about the nationwide wave of anti-trans legislation on Monday, suggesting that states with discriminatory legislation could miss out on hosting championship events. States reap tremendous financial benefits from hosting major sporting events. For example, Indianapolis — which recently hosted the men’s March Madness tournament — expected a financial boost of at least $100 million.
“NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected [for championship games],” read the statement posted to its website.
However, the NCAA stopped short of committing to pulling events from states with anti-trans legislation.
The professional cycling community is also facing growing calls for action — including from the authors of the open letter — regarding its 2022 Cyclo-cross World Championships. The letter demands the race be relocated out of the state until the discriminatory laws are removed. The Walton family has invested heavily in the sport in the northeast region of Arkansas and has used its wealth to pull some traditionally European cycling events over to North America. This includes the UCI World Championships, scheduled to be held in Fayetteville in January 2022.
Union Cycliste Internationale, or UCI, the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events, has so far been silent on the anti-trans legislation in Arkansas. But organizer Brook Watts has released a statement condemning the state’s anti-trans legislation.
“I understand those who feel the need to boycott this event in light of this legislation — I share your anger towards this blatant discrimination,” Watts wrote on Twitter. However, he encouraged people to donate to the Fayetteville Trans Equality Network in lieu of an outright boycott to continue to support “the community who has worked to make this event happen.”
