Duke University students and alumni are asking the university to take a stand against proposed North Carolina legislation that they say will be harmful to transgender children and adults.

The Duke LGBTQ+ Network and all 12 LGBTQ+ student groups on campus signed a joint statement Tuesday asking Duke to publicly state its opposition to three bills that have been filed in the North Carolina Legislature, as it did in 2016 with House Bill 2, known as "The Bathroom Bill."

The groups say the bills criminalize providing gender-related medical care to people younger than 21; allow doctors to refuse care to LGBTQ+ individuals; and prevent transgender youth from playing on school sports teams that reflect their gender identity.

"As a leading medical, research, and athletic institution, Duke University has a responsibility to protect transgender individuals, especially transgender youth, and affirm its values," the statement says. "If the university does not speak for itself, its silence will."

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