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goth_is_not_emoTennessee recently passed a law stating that people would have to use the public restroom corresponding to their assigned gender at birth, UNLESS the store the restroom is in posts a sign clearly stating otherwise, in as many words.
Here's the problem with that, illustrated using real, live people (albeit not necessariily Tennesseans). They've appeared in the news as transgender, so I am not outing anybody by doing this.
Imagine seeing this face in the women's bathroom. This is Ryan Sallans. He is transgender. The Tennessee law states that, because he was born with a vulva, he has to use the women's restroom, NOT the men's.
This is Gigi Gorgeous. Tennessee law states that, as a trans woman, she has to use the men's restroom, and suffer whatever harassment or violence results from that. Trans women (especially trans women of color) are murdered at disturbingly-high rates already.
For many trans people, the only safe option seems to be just...never using public restrooms at all. Trans people often suffer medical problems from having to hold in their pee for hours. Plus, on top of that, most HRT for trans women has a diuretic effect--which means that they have to pee more often.
Imagine trying to hold down a full-time job without being able to use public restrooms, ever. Imagine trying to run errands while your bladder is a ticking time bomb that could result in actual violence against you.
To discourage people from using public restrooms is to say that they do not belong in public at all. That is what Tennessee is doing. The state is basically saying that there exist human beings who, because of an accident of birth (wrong assigned gender), do not "deserve" to be seen in public, to have jobs, or to even camp out at the same state parks that their tax dollars are helping to pay for.
And that is reprehensible, no matter what demographic you are excluding.
Here's the problem with that, illustrated using real, live people (albeit not necessariily Tennesseans). They've appeared in the news as transgender, so I am not outing anybody by doing this.
Imagine seeing this face in the women's bathroom. This is Ryan Sallans. He is transgender. The Tennessee law states that, because he was born with a vulva, he has to use the women's restroom, NOT the men's.
This is Gigi Gorgeous. Tennessee law states that, as a trans woman, she has to use the men's restroom, and suffer whatever harassment or violence results from that. Trans women (especially trans women of color) are murdered at disturbingly-high rates already.
For many trans people, the only safe option seems to be just...never using public restrooms at all. Trans people often suffer medical problems from having to hold in their pee for hours. Plus, on top of that, most HRT for trans women has a diuretic effect--which means that they have to pee more often.
Imagine trying to hold down a full-time job without being able to use public restrooms, ever. Imagine trying to run errands while your bladder is a ticking time bomb that could result in actual violence against you.
To discourage people from using public restrooms is to say that they do not belong in public at all. That is what Tennessee is doing. The state is basically saying that there exist human beings who, because of an accident of birth (wrong assigned gender), do not "deserve" to be seen in public, to have jobs, or to even camp out at the same state parks that their tax dollars are helping to pay for.
And that is reprehensible, no matter what demographic you are excluding.
