Transgender Issues In Schools

Transgendered people in America have made many great strides since the 1990s. They have encountered violence, lack of health care, and the loss of homes, jobs, family and friends. There have been many phases of the struggle of being transgendered in America over the years. The current phase we must be in now is equal rights. There are many variations of discrimination against the transgendered community. In our society we simply do not like what we do not understand. It is easier to discriminate than to try and understand. We are all created different and we should appreciate our differences. The change must come by addressing the views of the public. There is much justification in the unequal rights of transgendered peoples. The Human

Recently, the issue of allowing transgender people access to public facilities according to the gender they identify with has caused much debate throughout the United States. The bathroom bill seeks to control access to public facilities of transgender individuals, based on the gender they were assigned at birth. In 2015, bills were passed stating entering a bathroom not assigned to a person at birth was a crime. Surrounded by misconception, the bill does “not legalize harassment, stalking, violence, or sexual assault.” Since the bill arose, there have not been a rise in violence or other incidents in the states protecting the transgender rights (Transgender Equality). The bill simply states if one is living as a woman, to use the women’s restroom,

The changing norms of the generation has brought upon commotion between various states because of the presidents judgement. The transgender bathroom policy allows transgender students to use the bathroom they identify as and not by the sex on their birth certificate (Fox News, 2016). The transgender bathroom policy has both successes and failure to ensure safety for transgender students resulting to its change being for not only trans-gender. Gender neutral bathrooms allows safety for those who are not only transgender, but also a part of the LGBTQ community, etc. but it causes a conflict with gender segregation. Adding additional bathrooms to suite other gender preferences costs more money and not everyone is going to accept what they walk into the bathroom and see. The gender neutral bathroom policy should be taken off of hold and be put into action because everything is constantly changing and those who do not identify as the sex they were assigned at birth are at risk for harm.

The North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signs the House Bill 2, the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, which undo all previous non-discrimination legislation, to ban transgendered individuals from using restrooms which matches their sexual identification. The law asserts that they should instead use the restrooms which matches the gender listed on their birth certificates. Enraged civil liberties groups around the country has decry the move as backwards and one which may put the well-being of transgenders at risk. Transgendered individuals have historically been a small vulnerable subset of the population, they have often been meted with violence and hostility. They are seen as a perversion and a dearth of moral values and evidence of societal degradation. But like any other vulnerable groups in society, they should be protected, not vilified as perverts and deviants.

The governments of states which oppose bills similar to the North Carolina Bathroom Bill are more concerned with justice being provided to those who identify as transgender. By restricting freedom to use a public restroom, a government is placing enormous constraints on the freedoms of those individuals. Many have claimed this to be a violation of civil rights in accordance with Title IX , as well as the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. Transgender is a current gender identity and these acts forbid discrimination and abuse on the basis of gender. The HB2 bill is in direct violation of these preordained acts. The ultimate goal is full protection for the LGBTQIA community and this “Bathroom Bill” definitely stands in the way of complete

forcing a state law barring transgender people from using bathrooms in government buildings and public schools that correspond with their gender identity

The rights of the LGBTIQ community has changed in the past years. From marriage equality to recognition of a third gender, the LGBTIQ community has gained more freedom. On the other hand, LGBTIQ individuals are still being discriminated and there is continuous debate on the transgender bathroom policies. According to Winkler and Lê Phan (2016), in the state of North Carolina a law known as “House Bill 2” passed, which determined that transgender individuals have access to public bathrooms based on the person’s biological sex. The law lead to harassment, assaults, and abuse towards transgender individuals in bathrooms. The UN General Assembly argues that everyone has the human right to sanitation without discrimination.

To put it in the simplest form, there is a need for change. Transgender bathroom regulations blatantly oppress transgender individuals all around the nation in many ways. Since the national uprising over transgender bathroom policies Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) individuals have been impacted greatly. Heath complications, increase in suicides, and undeniable discrimination are a few of the negative impacts these policies have had on LGBTQ people. These individuals, although very significantly affected, are not the only targets impacted as a result of these policies. Loss in revenue, possible lawsuits, and travel bands are among the many consequences felt in the states where these draconian laws were passed.

In summary, the transgender desegregation of restrooms is a contentious topic that includes the topics of safety, discrimination, privacy and economics. Safety is a concern that can involve physical and sexual assault for the transgender person and cisgender women may become victims of sexual predators using restrooms under the guise of being transgender. Discrimination against restroom access for transgender individuals is currently complicated by a mixed-bag of laws and these would need to be amended to grant full access. Privacy is an issue that could merely be a perception bias that would need to be overcome in order to raise a level of comfort. The economic feasibility of transgender desegregation of restrooms is a mixed-bag that may require

“The Department of Justice have found that discrimination against transgender people- including denying them bathroom access- is a form of sex discrimination covered under the Civil Rights Act.” (Steinmetz 3) By passing these bills, cities and states will be violating a civil right, which has been argued about since the topic of transgender protections has come to light. If these policies go into effect, we will be denying our fellow humans the right to use the restroom based on their gender identity. Professor at the University of Alabama Justin Johnson says, “Trans men are men and trans women are women. It does not matter if you agree with their lifestyle, you have every right to disagree if you so please, but we as a society cannot continue to belittle the lives of the trans community just because we don’t understand it completely.” ( “Both Sides Of The Topic: Transgender ‘Bathroom Bills’” 3) Our country, and the states within it, need to understand that these are real people they are hurting. What about the transgender people in your city or state? What do you think you’re telling them? I’ll tell you what you’re telling them: you are not valued. That is one the most damaging statements to give to someone, and the fact that you would do that just to keep your closed-minded ideals still relevant is disgusting, aboslutely

How comfortable would you be if their was a transgender in the same bathroom as you without the same body parts as you? I do not agree with this law. There are 3 reasons why I do not agree with this law. First transgender having the same body parts as the restroom they are using. Second the thought and feelings of many others who do not agree with the LGBTQ community . Third just being comfortable enough to use the same restroom as the person who may be using it .

“What do people think of when they hear the word sociology?” They probably relate it to the word society. Sociology is the study of societies and how they function. A society is made up of different parts, such as education, religion, people, economic, culture and businesses. Many people come from different societies, where they have their own values and beliefs. A big topic of discussion is transgender school children and their use of the restroms. This topic causes a lot of controversy.

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

Moreover, “The US Department of Education affirmed that transgender students are entitled to federal civil rights protections under Title IX, the law that bans gender discrimination in education.” The Title IX law bans discrimination of gender, but it is between the male and female gender, which excludes people who are transgender. Transgender students “while in grades K-12 reported alarming rates of harassment (78%), physical assault (35%) and sexual violence (12%)” and the trauma from the experiences were so much that “almost one-sixth (15%)” chosed “to leave school or college.” The United States needs to create a law that protects transgender individuals from any sort of discrimination, because denying the protections needed towards transgender people and depriving their rights to do basic necessary things, their ability to do certain things is taken away for no reason; Therefore, this kind of discrimination will continue and it will not diminish if it is left unaddressed. Discrimination among the people towards transgender individuals needs to be reduced significantly with laws made explicitly to protect them in their everyday lives when it comes to things, such as the bathroom or 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.