Defining Discrimination at N.H. Colleges and Universities (HB 1528, 2018)

Cornerstone opposes HB 1528 due to the concerns raised over the unintended consequences of adding “gender identity” to the list of protected classes under anti-discrimination laws relative to the university and community college systems.

The debate on adding gender identity to the list of protected classes often swirls around the usage of bathrooms by transgender people. Unfortunately, I believe that HB 1528 goes far beyond that debate. I ask the committee to thoughtfully discern the unintended consequences of this bill.

Would a female student attending the New Hampshire public university system be forced to share a dorm room with a biological male who identifies as a woman?

What will happen to STEM scholarships designed specifically to encourage women to study the sciences? Will a biological female lose an opportunity at a STEM scholarship to a biological male who identifies as a woman?

What will happen to the athletic programs at public universities? What will be the explanation for having separate men’s and women’s teams in a single sport? Will females lose athletic scholarships to biological males who identify as women?

Dorm rooms, locker rooms, STEM scholarships, and athletic scholarships are just a few of the reasons Cornerstone asks you to vote “inexpedient to legislate” on HB 1528.

Testimony delivered by Gabrielle Jette, Cornerstone Action deputy director.

Scroll to Top