Today’s Supreme Court decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor is a devastating blow to LGBTQ+ students and families nationwide. By allowing parents to opt their children out of reading materials that include LGBTQ+ themes, the Court has legitimized the notion that queer and trans identities are optional knowledge—something children can be shielded from, rather than realities that deserve respect, understanding, and celebration.

This ruling does more than censor books—it directly undermines the principle that every student deserves access to an inclusive, diverse, and representative curriculum. It actively contributes to a climate where LGBTQ+ students are made to feel invisible, unwelcome, and unworthy of inclusion. It weakens efforts to build school environments grounded in respect, representation, and truth, while emboldening those who seek to erase queer and trans people from public life—beginning in our classrooms. It also threatens the psychological safety of LGBTQ+ students, invites increased bullying, and fosters a culture of shame and silence—conditions that fuel depression and isolation.


Kathie Moehlig, Executive Director of TransFamily Support Services, issued the following statement:

“This ruling sends a chilling message to LGBTQ+ youth and their families: that their identities are controversial, and their stories dispensable. As a mother, advocate, and Executive Director of an organization serving thousands of trans and gender-diverse youth, I’ve witnessed how life-affirming representation can be—and how life-threatening its absence is. When LGBTQ+ children see themselves in books, they feel seen, safe, and valued. We cannot allow fear and bigotry to dictate whose stories get told.”

At TransFamily Support Services, we will continue to advocate fiercely for the presence and visibility of LGBTQ+ people in our schools. Representation matters—and every student deserves the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the stories they read and the lessons they learn. We are committed to ensuring that educational spaces remain places of affirmation, learning, and truth, not exclusion and silence.