TRANS RIGHTS

Baltimore Now Allows Transgender People To Use Public Bathroom Of Choice

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.

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.

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