There has been so much hate towards transgender people lately, especially in regard to bathroom legislation. This hate stems from fear, ignorance, and downright bigotry. I understand the basic fears that people have regarding sexual predators in public restrooms, but it is actually far more common for trans folk to be victims of sexual predators rather than assailants themselves. This fear and hatred could be easily subdued with just a basic understanding of what it means to be transgender and what the legislation will allow to happen.

Many of the people that I know to oppose trans folk being able to choose which bathroom they should use believe that trans folk are merely "men in skirts," usually with malicious intent. That could not be further from reality; people who identify as transgender do not "think" that they are a different gender from the sex that they were assigned at birth, they are. Transgender people are not sexual deviants who want to cause a huge fuss—they just want to be able to live their lives as the gender they feel that they truly are, despite whatever sex that they were assigned at birth. And as human beings like everyone else, they should be able to determine for themselves which bathroom they feel comfortable using. Having legislation that allows trans people this basic right protects them, and provides them with the safety that every person should have while carrying out a simple biological function. Believe it or not, trans folk do not wish to have access to the public bathroom of their choice so that they can strip down and show their genitals to small children. They just want to go to the f*cking bathroom.

Trans people have already been using the bathrooms that they feel comfortable using, and the people who fear this legislation probably didn't even notice. Many trans people do, in fact, pass as their own gender, so people would probably be more offended by them using the bathroom in accordance with the sex that they were assigned at birth. The entire idea of passing legislation so that trans folk can use the bathroom that they wish to use merely protects their right to do so without being harassed or assaulted. And if the opposite legislation were to be passed, there would not be a way of regulating which public bathroom literally every American citizen decides to use. Even if there was some absurd "genital checker" stationed outside every public bathroom, there are trans folk who have gone through sex reassignment surgery and do have the genitals that match the bathroom of their choice. And honestly, a regulated "genital checker" would infringe upon everyone's rights much more than pro trans legislation would.

If there were to be legislation allowing trans folk to determine which bathroom they should use, there would not be some ungodly increase in sexual assailants in public restrooms, and even if there were, they would not suddenly be protected by law. Regardless of gender identity, anyone who exposes themselves in an indecent manner or sexually assaults someone in a public restroom will still be prosecuted, because it is a crime. Believing anything else is completely ignorant and infuriating for anyone sensible enough to recognize that.

Stop fueling hatred and bigotry. Just educate yourself on an issue that you have problems with. It's not hard, and it doesn't take very long either. Let everyone have their basic rights. Stop trying to regulate who can or can't use a public bathroom. If someone is using a public restroom in a manner that negatively impacts others, they will be punished. Allowing trans folk to continue using the bathroom that they choose will not change anything except their level of legal protection if they get attacked. Legislation that outlines what bathrooms individuals have to use is discrimination. Stop regressing our society.

Here are some links that explain what transgender means. Go educate yourselves and stop spreading hatred.