Concerns over bathroom rule are unwarranted

The Anderson-Murray Anti-discrimination Law has offered transgender people protections in Washington since 2006. Based on the fact that for the past 10 years we have not seen an increase in men and women using public restrooms inappropriately, there is no need for House Bill 2589 or for an increase in public concern.

The legislators that sponsored HB 2589 must not have taken that into consideration or done research into the fact that Washington is not the only state to have these protections. In fact, 17 states and more than 200 cities across the country have passed and successfully implemented these kind of laws with no increase in public safety incidents. The rule put forth in January by the Washington State Human Rights Commission was to provide clarity and guidance with regards to laws against discrimination.

It is important to remember that inappropriate behaviors or actions in places of public accommodation, no matter the person’s gender identity, are not protected under this law.

Remember as well that there will still be separate accommodations for men and for women.

Many argue against this law by claiming that pedophiles and men will look at this as a prime opportunity to victimize children and women. As a parent and a woman, I have never looked at restrooms as an inherently safe place for my children or myself. When my sons were considered “too big” to go with me into the women’s restroom I would send them into the men’s restroom with the directive to stick together and keep an eye on each other. The reality is, nowhere is inherently safe for our children; this is why we have to teach them about inappropriate behaviors, touches and what to do if that ever happens to them.

This law does not protect people who wish to do harm or act inappropriately, period.

Some confusion might lie in a lack of understanding of transgender and gender identity meanings. When someone is transgender or has a gender identity different than the one they were assigned at birth, they are living their lives as that person. This is not a man dressing up as a woman to get access to the bathroom, nor a woman dressing as a man to get a look in the locker room.

This law is for people who are living, working and becoming the people they identify as, every day, all day. Some individuals will take hormones. Some will have surgery. Some will change their name and their birth certificate. This law is to protect them from becoming victims of discrimination while using public facilities.

Transgender people are at much more risk of physical harm and being victimized in the restroom than non-transgender individuals. This is proven by the incidents of harm done against transgender individuals everyday simply for being transgender.

Transgender people are not getting special treatment with this law, they are finally getting the same treatment the rest of us enjoy. Offering equality for all is part of what makes our community, our state and our nation great.

If you have questions or would like a free training for your school, business, or religious institution on how to be inclusive and safe for everyone, please feel free to contact Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (FLAG) Benton Franklin at http://www.bfpflag.com/ or (509) 795-1665; please leave a message.

This story was originally published January 23, 2016 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Concerns over bathroom rule are unwarranted."