September 5, 2023

The mission of the Hawaiʻi Department of Health is to promote and protect the physical, behavioral, and environmental health for all people in Hawaiʻi. All people includes our māhūwahine, māhūkāne, transgender, gender diverse people, and other populations experiencing discrimination. These marginalized populations experience health disparities, including for indicators measuring access to healthcare, bullying, interpersonal violence, depression, suicidality, and substance use. Such health inequity is a significant public health concern.

In alignment with our mission, we denounce discrimination, including transphobia and transphobic action, and we recognize it as a threat to public health. We support our gender diverse community, and we also acknowledge the resilience and strength of gender diverse people in the face of discrimination and honor the acceptance and valued role of gender diverse people in traditional Hawaiian culture. The Department of Health believes that all people of Hawaiʻi should have an equitable opportunity to achieve their optimal state of health and well-being.

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