After a horrific incident last spring in which Chrissy Lee Polis, a transgender woman, was beaten for using the female restroom at a Rosedale McDonald’s, Baltimore County has finally passed legislation to protect transgender people from discrimination, reports the Baltimore Sun.
The most controversial point of debate was a proposed “Bathroom Amendment,” which would have specifically exempted bathrooms from the law. Seeing as the law came about because of a horrific trans bashing related to bathroom use, it’s thankful that the legislation did not follow through with the amendment.
They instead left the Bathroom Amendment off, but included vague language saying that “distinctly private or personal” facilities were exempt from protections.
The County council passed the legislation, 5-2, along party lines.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Democratic Councilman Tom Quirk originally introduced the legislation. “Everyone deserves to be treated fairly,” said Quirk. “This bill is a human rights bill, and I’m proud of Baltimore County tonight.”
But, given the fact that the law doesn’t apply to “distinctly private or personal” places, does that mean a McDonald’s bathroom counts? It’s an establishment that’s open to the public, but arguably privately owned and able to make up its own rules about bathrooms.
Shannon1981
Could be a loophole, but I am thankful for it, nonetheless. Let people use the restroom they are comfortable with. I assure you, as a gender variant person myself, I am NOT in there to hurt you. I am just using the bathroom just like you are.
Storm
After having recently met 2 trans-men, I have started asking myself what it is that makes men men, and women women. … And I think I’ve come to the conclusion gender identity is for the most part something people naturally sense inside themselves. … People should be able to define themselves, and their self-definition should be accepted by others.
As for public toilets: I don’t see a problem. I go into them to take care of bodily functions. While I’m doing so, I’m really not too interested in who else is in there.
If you’re worried about who is in the toilet with you, I’d say you’re the one with a problem; not the other person.
Peace out.
🙂
Price Waterhouse
I prefer traditional sexual segregation in our private areas, thank you very much.
EmmaMTF
Quick everyone! Applaud their use of common sense as progressive pioneers in human rights!
Dee Omally
Thank you Baltimore for working through this. Understandably, many expressed concerns about men in women’s restrooms. T-gender females are not men in women’s restrooms. Laws permit us to legally change gender but only after medical doctors, who are experts relating to all things gender, affirm that we have transitioned gender medically. Again, this long overdue legislation does not give license for men to access private female areas. This is still prohibited and no crime has been given free license. This bill accomplishes one thing: it affirms the American value espoused by our founding fathers that all persons are entitled to equal protection under law which by extension equates to equal protection from discrimination for personal attributes. Discrimination plain and simple is patently non-American. This bill simply reaffirms this to be true. Men still belong in the men’s rooms and females, including T-gender females belong in the women’s room. Thank you again.
William
I couldn’t care less about this. It has nothing to do with gay people. Gay people are not in conflict with their gender and don’t want to change to the opposite sex. LGB and T are 2 different things. To put the 2 together, as in LGBT, is a lie.
Dee Omally
Not sure what you mean by “couldn’t care less…” but you are absolutely exactly correct. This restroom non-dilemma which of course is a dilemma for T-bigots as they hide behind the overused and now worn out “safety” mantra is the best example available to highlight the acute difference between gender and being gay.
I am a T-gender person that beyond a shadow of a doubt believes it is time to be “militantly” (in mindset only) opposed to the inclusion of the T in LGBT. Sure we have LGB allies but mostly in mind only, certainly not in deed. There have been far too many times when the T has been cast overboard like excess weight to keep the LGB ship from listing. Anyone can say “I love you” and “you are one of us” but deeds must support the expression, which has not been the case.
DB
There should not be news about transgender people on a gay site. This is irrelevant to gay people. Also, it does not seem like a good idea to get rid of traditional sex-based segregation in public bathrooms.
Phil
Okay, let’s say a transgender woman in women’s clothing is legally bound to enter a men’s restroom. How uncomfortable is that going to be for everyone? It would be far more simple to let her into the women’s restroom. The reverse, a transgender man walking into a woman’s restroom, is not only awkward but also reason to incite fear and violence.
Genital-based bathrooms are regressive and stupid. Lesbians can use bathrooms and nobody reasonable freaks out over that. I mean, you poop there. Gender-identity-based bathrooms are, I think, the best we can do under the circumstances.
michael
They call it transgender,because you are a man wanna be a woman or you are a woman wanna be a man.common sense will tell me not to use a female bathroom if i still have something hanging,And a female wanna be male should not use male bathroom simple.We should not forget that those who make certain laws are not exactly what they seem to be,if you all know what i mean.