Let’s face it, bathrooms are really important. I mean if the government feels the need to identify who should use what restroom it must be of major importance. On January 5, 2017 a bill was proposed that would require schools in Texas and any buildings that a state agency has control over to designate bathrooms for use by persons based on their biological sex ONLY. Of course there are exceptions for custodial personnel, maintenance personnel, medical emergencies and others, but no exceptions made for students who identify as the opposite of their biological sex.
The bill does state that the school and state agencies can make accommodations for “special circumstances.”
And then for enforcement purposes if the school and/or buildings controlled by state agencies do not comply they can be fined $1,000 – $1,500 for the first violation, $10,000 – $10,500 for the second violation, and each day the violation continues is a “separate violation.”
What this bill does is continue to promote hatred and bullying. It continues to promote discrimination against transgender individuals who are already ridiculed and made to feel less than themselves. Honestly, I do not pay attention to people who come into the restroom with me. I am there to go to the restroom and leave. I am really not sure why our elected officials feel the need to promote such hate and discrimination. When is the last time you paid attention to exactly who was in the restroom with you when out in public.
Another attorney I follow wrote an excellent blog on this exact topic. To read her blog click here. As she pointed out, I have never been afraid of being in the restroom with other people. I have never secretly wondered if someone in the stall next to me had “boy parts.” In fact, I’ve been to bars where it was common that the men would be in the women’s restroom. Guess what! I still could use the restroom even though these men were in there. It definitely did not stop me!
It really is time to stand up and say “Let’s end all the hate. Let’s end the discrimination.”