Bathroom Bills Aren't About Bathrooms
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Bathroom Bills Aren't About Bathrooms

They're about closed-mindedness and fear.

49
Bathroom Bills Aren't About Bathrooms
safe2pee.org

Transgender people have received a lot of attention lately due to bathroom bills in North Carolina, which legally ban trans people from using restrooms that do not match the sex on their birth certificate. Legislators in North Carolina, and the eight other states that have bathroom bills, maintain that the purpose of such laws is public safety. In this case, "public safety" does not actually include trans people, who face extreme levels of harassment and violence when forced to use bathrooms that correspond with their sex at birth. Instead, the laws portray trans folks as a threat to society, indistinguishable from pedophiles and perverts. Despite no evidence of men donning dresses in order to harass or assault women in female restrooms in places with nondiscrimination laws, Sen.Ted Cruz declared that allowing trans people to use a bathroom that aligns with their gender identity "opens the door to predators." He continued, "Men should not be going to the bathroom with little girls.”

Although President Obama stated he believes that the laws that have been passed in North Carolina and other states "are wrong and should be overturned," and many other people and organizations have denounced the discriminatory bills, much of the damage has already been done -- and not only to trans folks. Because of the bills, countless cisgender women, being mistaken for being trans, have been harassed and chased out of restrooms for simply not looking female enough. Trans people who do decide to follow the laws face harassment, whether they pass as cisgender or not.

In all of this, it is clear that bathroom bills are not about bathrooms -- they are about closed-mindedness and fear. Anti-trans bathroom bills reinforce a gender binary that says women should present one way and men should present another. The laws leave no room for any blurring of those lines, and see those who challenge the binary to be a threat. The reality, though, is that trans people are not a threat to safety or health. The actual threat to the supposed American values of equality and progress is the fact that many people, like Senator Cruz, still refuse to see trans women as women, and trans men as men. This invalidation of identity, and discrimination on account of it is part of the reason that nearly half of trans people have attempted suicide. The life expectancy of a trans woman of color is 35, and 11 trans people have been reported to be murdered in the U.S. in 2016 alone. With numbers as staggering as these, it should seem obvious that trans people are much more in need of protection from violence than women and children in bathrooms.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

937209
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

114052
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less
New Year Resolutions

It's 2024! You drank champagne, you wore funny glasses, and you watched the ball drop as you sang the night away with your best friends and family. What comes next you may ask? Sadly you will have to return to the real world full of work and school and paying bills. "Ah! But I have my New Year's Resolutions!"- you may say. But most of them are 100% complete cliches that you won't hold on to. Here is a list of those things you hear all around the world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Ultimate Birthday: Unveiling the Perfect Day to Celebrate!

Let's be real, the day your birthday falls on could really make or break it.

87022
​different color birthday candles on a cake
Blacksburg Children's Museum

You heard it here first: birthdays in college are some of the best days of your four years. For one day annually, you get to forget about your identity as a stressed, broke, and overworked student, and take the time to celebrate. You can throw your responsibilities for a day, use your one skip in that class you hate, receive kind cards and gifts from loved ones and just enjoy yourself.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments