Amber Briggle
Amber Briggle is an American activist based in Denton, Texas and a founding member of the Human Rights Campaign Parents for Transgender Equality National Council. She is a 2022 candidate for the at-large seat on the Denton City Council. Biography. Briggle began her activist career in April 2016, using Facebook to protest bathroom regulations targeting transgender children and statements made on Facebook by the Denton County Republican-elect Sheriff. She then spoke to news media to promote rights for transgender children, and during a press conference on May 31, invited Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas Attorney  General Ken Paxton to dinner at her home. On September 1, Paxton and his wife had dinner with Briggle and her family, including her trans son, who had begun his transition when he was in first grade. After the dinner, the Human Rights Campaign invited Briggle to become a founding member of the Parents for Transgender Equality National Council, and she eventually became the national co-chair of the council. In December, Briggle and her family were invited to the White House to watch "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story". In March 2017, Briggle and her son participated in Trans  Texas Lobby Day, with her son meeting lawmakers as part of a campaign in opposition to a proposed bill to prevent children from using a bathroom matching their gender identity. A "San Antonio Express-News" photographer took a picture of her son, age nine at the time and tired after the day, sitting on the floor and crying while Briggle comforted him. Briggle posted the picture to Facebook and it became a viral opportunity for her to continue to speak out on behalf of trans children. The proposed bathroom bill was not passed by the legislature. In July 2019, Briggle  participated in an open community discussion at the City Council Chambers in Denton City Hall that was organized by a member of the city council on the topic of the need for a local ordinance with legal protections for LGBTQ people. In November 2019, she spoke with "ABC News" about Paxton calling for a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services investigation of another family with a transgender child, stating, "After meeting a mother like me, meeting me in my home, meeting my child, breaking bread at my table, engaging with my children, and then acting like family's like  mine should not exist, it's infuriating." In April 2021, Briggle testified before the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs against two proposed bills, one to expand the definition of "abuse" to include parents who obtain gender-affirming medical treatments and procedures for their children, with criminal and civil penalties, and the other to restrict liability insurance coverage and create a felony offense for doctors prescribing treatment or performing procedures. During her testimony, she explained gender-affirming surgeries are not performed on minor children, and stated, "If this bill becomes law, that, senators, is child abuse, and I promise I  will call every single one of you every time a transgender child dies from suicide to remind you that their lives could have been saved, but you chose not to." After her testimony, she told "NBC News" her family would consider moving out of Texas to protect their child. In May 2021, Briggle spoke out against efforts in the Texas Legislature to pass a bill to prevent trans children from participating on sports teams that match their gender identity. She also spoke with "The 19th" about her work as part of a national advocacy network of parents of trans children  and the challenges of trying to find a state to relocate to that is safe for trans children and their families. In November 2021, with the help of her church and a local brewery, Briggle organized a book reading for children after a "Rainbow Storytime" scheduled for the Trans Day of Remembrance at the local public library was canceled due to threats of violence. The book reading organized by Briggle featured stories with transgender themes. Hundreds of people attended, including a small group of protesters and police serving as protection. On February 24, 2022, Briggle spoke out against the efforts  of Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to describe gender-affirming medical treatments for children as child abuse and the directive from Abbott for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate families with transgender children who were reported to be receiving such medical treatment. According to her attorney, DFPS began an investigation into the Briggle family on February 24, the day after Paxton wrote a legal opinion that characterized gender-affirming treatments as child abuse. On February 28, Briggle was notified that DFPS had opened an investigation into her family. After the  Briggles consulted with an attorney, their home was visited two days later by a caseworker who interviewed their children. On March 8, Briggle wrote on her website in a post about the investigation, "Raising a transgender child in Texas has been one long political emergency." On March 11, a Texas District Court issued a temporary injunction, which temporarily stopped the state investigations into families who provide gender-affirming medical care for their children, and scheduled a trial for July 11, 2022. Political career. Briggle was a candidate for Denton City Council in 2015, and lost to Kathleen Wazny with 31 % of the vote. In January 2022, she declared her candidacy for the at-large seat on the Denton City Council. Personal life. Briggle is the owner of a massage studio and is married to Adam Briggle, who is a tenured professor. They have two children.