Anti-transgender bill will spark more violence if passed
Lawmakers in Kansas recently introduced a set of bills to the state house and senate that would allow for people to sue for $2,500 if they find a transgender student in the “wrong” restroom.
With this proposed bill, we see our unfocused and bigoted state leaders attempting, yet again, to pass oppressive anti-LGBT laws. This one in particular allows for blatant discrimination, outing and targeting of transgender students.
The Student Physical Privacy Act, as it is titled, is meant to protect the safety and privacy of students in locker rooms and bathrooms by banning transgender students. What would it really do though? It would make transgender students even more vulnerable to being physically and mentally abused.
According to a survey conducted by Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 74 percent of transgender youth report being sexually harassed because of their gender identity or expression. A University of New Hampshire survey found that more than 50 percent of transgender youth attempt suicide.
Now our lawmakers aren’t only ignoring statistics like these, they are now rewarding those who cause them. If this becomes law, it will incite even more violence.
Chromosomes and genitalia people are born with do not always correspond to their gender expression or identity. You can’t understand what it’s like to be transgender unless you are, but picture this: you are constantly called the wrong gender and you are forced to go into the opposite gender’s restroom. It would be pretty uncomfortable, wouldn’t it?
There are stalls in bathrooms. People usually keep to themselves in the locker room. Looking at anyone for any longer than a brief glance while they’re getting changed is quite frankly creepy and rude.
Transgender students are not harming others by using the restroom that coincides with their gender. Why do we have to put a target on their backs? It’s not fair.
Perhaps the best solution to make everyone feel happy and safe would be to have more gender neutral facilities. Or we could make sure there’s at least one stall in each bathroom so there is at least some privacy for trans people who don’t feel comfortable with urinals, etc.
It’s a complicated issue, but we can make it so that no one gets offended.
Our state is in desperate need of fixing problems like tax issues, budget fiascos, Department of Transportation funds, hospital closings, patient rapes and the education crisis, but our lawmakers choose to focus on unnecessary, hate-fueled laws.
If this bill ends up passing, I encourage everyone to continue to be tolerant. It’s easy to cause harm, but we have the power to uplift and edify lives. Show love even when the world is rewarding hate.
Brianna Mathias is a senior and this is her third year of being on the Guidon staff. She is a co-editor-in-chief and loves newspaper. She likes bees, folk-punk,...
Alicia Language • Apr 27, 2016 at 4:05 pm
I think I understand why there is such a huge deal about transgender people going into the bathroom that matches their gender identity, but I’m sure there are other ways to go about it. I mean, if some guy decided to pretend to be transgender just so he could sexually assault a woman in the restroom or something, that could obviously create huge issues, and should be addressed and outlawed. But if someone who’s actually transgender needs to go to the restroom, why stop them? If they’re not causing trouble, there’s no need for punishment.
Morgan Boeger • Apr 15, 2016 at 12:28 pm
The bill is discriminatory and therefore does spark violence.
Landon Crispin • Apr 5, 2016 at 9:39 am
You’re implying that if the bill is passed, there’s going to be violence. That’s basically like saying everything has to go the people’s way or else there’s going to be problems.
And I support the bill.
Jazmyne Cook • Apr 5, 2016 at 1:32 pm
I hope you realize that if this bill is passed, YOU will be sharing a bathroom with A WOMAN. If a trans woman wants to use the restroom, she has to in her birth genders restroom. So YOU will be sharing the bathroom with a person who is all physical aspects a woman.
I don’t get why you think it’s such a big deal to have this passed. You wouldn’t even know most of the time if a transgendered person walked into your restroom unless they brought it up.
Alanna Hansen • Apr 5, 2016 at 9:33 am
PASS THE BILL!
Morgan Boeger • Apr 1, 2016 at 10:51 am
I read that more congressmen have committed assault in bathrooms than transgender people in the last __ years
Brianna Brin • Mar 31, 2016 at 1:26 pm
http://www.ted.com/talks/ivan_coyote_why_we_need_gender_neutral_bathrooms
An interesting TED Talk on the subject…
Tanner Haselhorst • Mar 31, 2016 at 9:35 am
I’m all for this bill. So sue me