The American Association of Biological Anthropologists, the American Association of Anthropological Genetics, the Dental Anthropology Association, the Paleopathology Association, The PaleoAnthropology Society, the Biological Anthropology Section of the American Anthropological Association, and the Human Biology Association stand together against the escalating legislation and governance in the United States and across the globe that attacks the existence of transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse peoples. We affirm the power of all persons to make the ultimate decisions over what happens to our/their own bodies. We oppose legislation that is rooted in and maintains rigid binary conceptions of sex and gender which impact reproductive justice and access to care for everyone. We condemn the biological essentialism driving much of this legislation. As biological anthropologists, we condemn the historical role of our discipline in producing binaries of sex, gender, and sexuality and are committed to work that enacts a more livable world. We condemn discrimination and denial of healthcare for youth and adults, including care that is gender and life affirming. We stand for the lives of transgender, non-binary, gender and sex diverse, and queer communities.
This statement was authored by Samantha Archer, Zachary DuBois, Alexandra Kralick, and Rick Smith; was unanimously accepted by the AABA Executive Committee; and was concurrently approved by the Executive Committees of the AAAG, DAA, PPA, PAS, AAA BAS, and HBA in November, 2023.
(This statement is copied verbatim from the AABA site: link to AABA statement)