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.

Briggle and her husband are named plaintiffs in PFLAG v. Abbott, a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal in June 2022 on behalf of members of PFLAG and three families that seek to block Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) investigations based on a directive by Texas Governor Greg Abbott for DFPS to investigate families with transgender children reported to be receiving gender-affirming health care.

Biography Early activism 2016 - 2021 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. 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. 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.

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." 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.

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. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the trial court decision, and it was upheld at the Third District Court of Appeals of Texas.

At the 33rd GLAAD Media Awards in April 2022, Briggle gave a speech onstage about the experience of her family after the Abbott directive. During the June 10 hearing, a plaintiffs' attorney noted the state had closed the investigation into the Briggles and found no child abuse.

In a July 8 court order, the Travis County judge described the DFPS investigations as "gross invasions of privacy" and issued a temporary injunction that blocked the pending investigations into the other two families named in the lawsuit, while reserving the issues of further relief for PFLAG members and the Briggles for a later decision. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an appeal. The injunctions blocking investigations of the parties based on the directive continue during the appeal.

Briggle, her husband, and her children attended a rally for equality hosted by LGBTQ organizations in Austin, Texas on March 20, 2023, and attempted to meet with Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan; Briggle has also continued to use social media for advocacy related to gender-affirming health care. 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.