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We Are Not Alone: Trans Rights Progress in Colorado’s 2025 Legislative Session

  • Ash Neufeldt (she)
  • May 21
  • 7 min read

I’m going to be frank, the last few years have been rough for trans people with the continual rise of anti-trans bills aimed at revoking the rights of people like me, ultimately impacting our quality of life. And in 2025, the attacks are coming from the highest levels of government, including the White House. It's easy to feel like the world is trying to strip away our rights and our humanity.


In the face of that rising hate, Colorado stayed strong. At Rocky Mountain Equality (RMEQ), with our partners and allies, we fought hard this year at the State Capitol, leaning into our values of diversity, personal autonomy, and freedom.


The results at a glance:


FIVE pro-trans bills passed.


SIX anti-trans bills were defeated.


We even ran and passed our own bill, HB 25-1109, which Governor Polis signed into law on April 17.


Keep reading to learn more about 2025 wins for trans people’s rights, and to see these successes by the numbers. We also released a full report on the 2025 Legislative Session, and you can read it here.


The Good Bills

RMEQ supported and helped pass five bills that directly impact trans and nonbinary people and further advance and secure our rights.

Here’s what we helped make happen:

  • HB 25-1109: Ensures accurate gender on death certificates

  • HB 25-1309: Protects access to gender-affirming healthcare

  • HB 25-1312: Strengthens legal rights and civil protections for trans people

  • SB 25-014: Reaffirms the freedom to marry for all

  • SB 25-129: Shields providers and patients engaging in legally protected health care

These bills were backed by 14 incredible lawmakers and supported by 59 organizations.

See the Legislative Sponsors for Pro-Trans Bills

Representative Karen McCormick (1109, 129)

Representative Kyle Brown (1109, 1309)

Representative Brianna Titone (1309, 014)

Representative Lorena Garcia (1312, 014)

Representative Rebekah Stewart (1312)

Representative Junie Joseph (129)

Senator Mike Weissman (1109)

Senator Katie Wallace (1109)

Senator Lisa Cutter (1309, 129)

Senator Julie Gonzales (1309)

Senator Faith Winter (1312, 129)

Senator Chris Kolker (1312)

Senator Jessie Danielson (014)

See the 59 Organizations That Supported Pro-Trans Bills

It’s also important to note that these organizations showing solidarity with our community eclipsed the seven organizations who advocated against these bills. 


The Bad Bills: We Stood Our Ground

This year, six anti-trans bills were introduced in Colorado. Each one aimed to limit access to life-saving, affirming healthcare for trans people — especially youth. These bills would’ve made life harder and more dangerous for our community.

Here’s what we fought off:

  • HB 25-1068: Would have let malpractice insurers deny coverage for gender-affirming care

  • HB 25-1145: Would have criminalized helping minors access abortion or gender-affirming healthcare

  • HB 25-1251: Would have undermined youth autonomy and parental support

  • HB 25-1253: Misleadingly named “Youth Health Protection Act” and would have banned gender-affirming care

  • HB 25-1254: Would have targeted medical professionals who provide gender-affirming care

  • HB 25-1255: Would have let providers deny all healthcare, including emergency care, based on “personal beliefs”


All six bills were defeated in committee.


And here’s what’s even more powerful: these harmful bills were backed by just five legislators and supported by only three organizations. 

See the Legislators Who Brought Forward Anti-Trans Bills

Representative Stephanie Luck (1255)

Representative Ken DeGraaf (1254)

Representative Scott Bottoms (1068, 1145, 1251)

Representative Brandi Bradley (1253)

Senator Mark Baisley (1068)


In contrast, 34 organizations — including doctors, legal groups, public health advocates, and civil rights defenders — rose up to say no.

See the 34 Organizations Who Rose up for Our Community

  • ACLU of Colorado – Opposed HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145

  • American Property Casualty Insurance Association – Opposed HB 25-1068

  • Boulder County – Opposed HB 25-1068

  • COLOR Action Fund – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145

  • Colorado Trial Lawyers Association – Opposed HB 25-1068

  • Coloradans For Legal Freedom – Opposed HB 25-1068

  • Colorado Academy of Family Physicians – Opposed HB 25-1068

  • Center for Health Progress – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1253

  • Colorado Children's Campaign – Opposed HB 25-1251

  • Colorado Consumer Health Initiative – Opposed HB 25-1068

  • Colorado Criminal Defense Bar – Opposed HB 25-1145

  • Colorado Medical Society – Opposed HB 25-1255

  • Colorado Nurses Association – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1068

  • Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145

  • Colorado Organization Responding to AIDS – Opposed HB 25-1068

  • Colorado Public Health Association – Opposed HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145

  • Colorado Society of School Psychologists – Opposed HB 25-1253

  • Interfaith Alliance – Opposed HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145

  • League of Women Voters of Colorado – Opposed HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • Mental Health Colorado – Opposed HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • National Association of Social Workers, Colorado Chapter – Opposed HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251

  • New Era Colorado – Opposed HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • One Colorado – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1068

  • Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • ProgressNow Colorado – Opposed HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145

  • Rocky Mountain Equality – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • SAFE Communities Coalition – Opposed HB 25-1251

  • The Women's Lobby of Colorado – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251

  • Vivent Health – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • Young Invincibles – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251

  • American Academy of Pediatrics ( AAP) – Opposed HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • Colorado Obstetrical and Gynecology Society – Opposed HB 25-1255, HB 25-1254, HB 25-1253, HB 25-1251, HB 25-1145, HB 25-1068

  • The Doctors Company – Opposed HB 25-1145

  • Elephant Circle – Opposed HB 25-1145


What It All Means

In our current political environment, it’s easy to feel like more people hate us than support us. I have been guilty of believing that supporters of trans people like me are small in number, and my objectors greater and growing. But the numbers don’t lie. Hate in Colorado is niche and small, and the fight for inclusive and comprehensive healthcare and self determination is valued by nearly all. 


This year, the people and institutions that stood with trans Coloradans vastly outnumbered those who didn’t. Doctors. Nurses. Legal experts. Parents. Educators. Faith leaders. Elected officials. Everyday allies. We’re not alone. And we’re not small.


For me, looking at these wins by the numbers cuts through the loud hate, showing me that so many Coloradans support and care for trans people. This reminds me that not only will we, as LGBTQ+ people, fight for us, but they, as allied Coloradans, will too!



 
 
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