Should Transgender Students Be Allowed To Go To The Bathroom

Most don’t explicitly look into the complexity of a transgender person’s life and all the questions or problems one might face: Do I use the men’s or the women’s bathroom? Is it appropriate to use this locker room? Those are only two of the many questions a transgender person might run into on a daily basis because of how others would see the situation, how the people who may have a sneaking suspicion that the woman they saw go into the ladies’ bathroom isn’t actually female by their definition, or how it could also seem strange to see that same person go into the mens’ bathroom. These all lead to dysphoria in any person’s situation in public places due to the fact that many choose to taunt or mock the person; however, with the help of Title IX these questions could start to vanish from the thoughts of many transgender students which Blad exemplifies with a quote in her article:

Every person in the United states is entitle to their rights based on the amendments. Transgender students are protected by Title IX and cannot be neglected in schools by anyone or they will stop receiving federal money. “The Justice and Education Departments issued guidance that, under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, schools receiving federal money may not discriminate based on a student’s transgender status and that the departments would treat a student’s gender identity as the student’s sex for purposes of enforcing Title IX.” (According to New York Times). This should be applied to every single school not only schools that get federal money because every transgender student should be protected by a law just as every other cisgender student. Every single citizen in the United states is protected by their civil rights which is “the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has received an increasing number of questions from parents and schools regarding civil rights protections for transgender students. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination in educational programs/activities based on gender, including discrimination based on a student’s gender identity or transgender status. This letter, while it does not add requirements to applicable law, provides significant guidance and encouragement regarding a school’s Title IX obligations for transgender students and how a school is evaluate for compliance with these obligations.

More and more kids and teens are realizing that, they are not who they want to be. Meaning that, they want to, or have already changed their gender identity. This doesn’t seem like the problem, but these kids, teens, and even adults don't have the rights we have on a regular daily bases. According to Discovery Education, it says that, these kids and teens aren’t allowed to use the bathroom of the gender they choose to be. This is a big problem throughout the United States, especially in elementary, middle, and high schools. The government also took away the law stating that transgender people, are to use

Here in Canada, this issue has been brought forward in both communities and provincial level of concerns. To take a look closer to home, the city of Toronto had witnessed the complexity of this issue in the past years. A Toronto transgender teen who identifies as a male, was banned from using his high school boys restroom, and was forced to leave school grounds and search for a public bathroom at a gas station. Concerns were mentioned for the safety of Spencer, and also how he felt uncomfortable being forced to use the women’s restroom; however, several parents and students agreed with how the school was taking action to this problem. After a petition was enacted by fellow supportive students, Spencer was allowed to freely use the restrooms at his high school.

People often have an inaccurate picture of reality. Most people consider themselves friendly, forgiving, and welcoming human beings. They believe they have a sound sense of morality, adhere to their foolproof policies of right and wrong, and promote righteousness. Unfortunately, through the eyes of transgender students, this is rarely the case. Although The Title IX law is supposed to defend them from discrimination, sexual harassment, and bullying (Source A), the success of this vague list of rights is nonexistent.

A sign protesting a recent North Carolina law restricting transgender bathroom access is seen in the bathroom stalls at the 21C Museum Hotel in Durham, North Carolina May 3, 2016. (REUTERS/Jonathan Drake/File Phot by Colleen Jenkins

The hot topic of current events centers around the heated debate over whether Transgender kids should be able to choose what restroom they would like to use based solely on their gender identity. Breaking new ground and blazing new trails to create equality for all is the state of California. Democratic Governor, Jerry Brown, signed Assembly Bill No. 1266 (known as AB1266), which was an act to amend Section 221.5 of the Education Code, relating to pupil rights. The new law gives all students the right “to participate in sex-segregated programs, activities and facilities” based on their self-perceived orientation regardless of their birth gender. AB1266 and Section 221.5 of the Education Code provides equal rights for transgender individuals and promotes anti-discrimination. By allowing transgender boys and girls the right to use a restroom that corresponds to the student’s gender identity– regardless of the student’s sex assigned at birth– you essentially teach children acceptance from a young age. This creates a diverse culture which will help sway the profound perceptions that transgender individuals are oddities and will lend a hand in breaking the generational cycle of discrimination.

Not only do students have mixed feelings but there are also parents who oppose the idea of allowing transgender students to pick their bathroom and sport team to join. Parents worry that there could be certain criminal activity if transgenders were allowed to choose which bathroom to use, but the law reflects the modern times and calls for change. Worries about having transgenders pick their own bathroom or locker room is preventing them from having the sense of security and importance that they should feel within their schools. A testimony from a 16 year old transgender boy from Manteca, California shows that all he wants is to not be deterred from the same options that normal high school boys at his school get, “I just want to be treated the same as all the other boys… my school forces me to take a gym class with all girls… leaves me feeling isolated and alone… (Yan).” Although there are worries of allowing transgenders to pick their bathrooms; transgender are citizens of America and deserve the same opportunities, such as choosing which sport team to participate in or which bathroom and locker room to use, as other citizens. They are being alienated and all they want is to be able to have the same choices, such as restroom rights, available to them. Jocelyn Samuels, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division states, “All students, including

Everyday people experience discrimination over things like race, sex, and beliefs. Discrimination has become a part of the American culture. The most recent issue is Transgenders and their battle in court over the bathroom bill. The bathroom bill is a bill that may or may not is passed by the supreme court, This bill would grant Transgenders the right to use the bathroom of their choice because it can cause a threat to men, women, and children who do use the bathroom that is listed on their birth certificate, however the fact still remains that transgender should have just as much freedom to use the bathroom of choice as other regular human beings.

This article details the some of the issues created by the growing population of transgendered students in the public education system, specifically the story of Aubrey a girl who transitioned in middle school. The article begins by detailing some of the problems transgendered youths face in the school system among these being bullied, in the forms of verbal and physical harassment. Then details how schools are reacting to prevent this kind of harm and build an inclusive environment. The laws vary by state, but 14 states plus D.C. Have laws that prohibit discrimination, and Title 9 bans gender discrimination nation-wide. The article also details how the Central Dauphin School District in Pennsylvania is working to protect at risk students; the district has implemented training for the staff of the 12000 student district, including training on gender

Although the definition and way of life has changed over the years, transgender people’s existence rivals that of the human race, and have been using bathrooms according to their gender identity, not their sex, since the restroom was invented. However, in recent years, states such as Texas and North Carolina have introduced policies that would require citizens to use the bathroom that correlates with the sex on their birth certificate. These discriminatory policies are shaping the nation to be an oppressive society, contradictory to what the founding fathers wanted for our country.

However, President Donald Trump is moving to reverse Obama-era guidelines on transgender students' right to use the bathroom of their choice in public schools to no rights at all (Kennedy). Certain schools give transgenders the right to choose the bathroom that they're comfortable in, while in other schools, it is necessary to be on a sex-reassignment plan and to have your sex legally renamed in order to use the bathroom you wish. Yet, there are problems which occur in this, “Schools can only require an assertion of gender transition. Requiring a diagnosis or treatment before a student is considered transgender may be unfair to lower-income students without access to such options, advocacy groups say” (Blad). One thing that many don't consider is the setting of income in which these students have. Another issue is that President Trump’s opinions on transgender students has lost federal protections that allowed them to use school bathrooms which match their gender. “In several cases, schools have opted to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that match their gender identity, but complaints from parents or others in the community have prompted schools to reverse their policies” (Kennedy). Even though some parents may be worried of danger involving creeps and predators, it is important to take into consideration the safety

When you’re out in public and you have to go to the restroom, you go right? Well imagine that when you try to go but there is a law that legally forbids you from going. You wouldn’t like it right? Well that is how many transgender people feel whenever they try to go to the bathroom in public. Whenever they try to go to the bathroom, they get told that they need to get out, that they’re not their identified gender, get slurs thrown at, or sometimes get harassed. It’s up to the state to decide whether they should have the bathroom bill or not. In fact, sixteen states have proposed a bill where they would restrict transgender people their right to use the bathroom of their gender identity; six states have considered legislation that would preempt municipal and county-level anti-discrimination laws; fourteen have considered a legislation that would limit transgender student’s rights at school. In total, that is 36 laws against the transgender community. All they want to do is go to the bathroom; however, people use that against them citing that there will be “Sexual predators that will use it to sexually assault people” (i.e. sexual predators will take advantage of the bathroom to assault kids, sometimes they even say that children will be scared. However, it has been reported that over 70 percent of transgender people get attacked in the bathroom rather than attack someone, and there’s more reports of people going in bathroom with guns to “protect themselves” from transgender people. Who would a little kid be more scared of? The transgender person just trying to use the

Transgenders are being told they cant use the bathroom they want to. There is a story about a MTF (male to female) six year old that was told that she cant use the girls bathroom at school. “For a year and a half, it wasn't an issue. But in December, Coy's school informed her parents that she would no longer be permitted to use the girls' restroom.”(From school to society, the intolerance transgender people face). “The bathroom, and more specifically the public restroom, is where the rights of transgender people come into close proximity with the privacy rights of everyone.” The Supreme court took a case on October 28, 2016 about a FTM (female to male) high school student who wanted to use the boys bathroom. They agreed with the previous statement about the privacy of the bathrooms. (Transgender Bathroom Issue: a Solution?). This has proof that it has happened to many people in schools and can help many people who are struggling with this.