Arizona legislator proposes anti-transgender bill

[JenniferB]

You would have to show your birth certificate that matches the gender of the public restroom you are entering if someone suspects you are transgender.

Showing your birth certificate to use a public bathroom?

So stupid, and full of fear, only an Arizona legislator could propose it.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20130319law-governing-transgender-use-restrooms-proposed.html

Jenny

[Charlize]

That is clearly unconstitutional. There is no way i'm walking around with my birth certificate so i can use the ladies room . Sounds like a sit down strike might be good. Who knows what would be left behind when you stood up.

Hugs,

Charlie

[Carolyn Marie]

Ugh! Every legislature has at least one moron in it. Let's hope there aren't a majority of morons there. So, first they pass a law requiring anyone who looks Hispanic to carry papers, and now they want anyone who doesn't look manly enough or girly enough to carry papers. Pretty soon everyone in Arizona will have to carry around a file folder with all the required papers they need to live their lives.

Full employment for Arizona cops, who'll soon be too busy checking papers to catch any crooks.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Sarah Faith]

Well next they'll want to pass laws so that they can deport us too.. News like this makes me kinda glad I don't live in Arizona anymore..

[JenniferB]

One good thing is that the comments are by people who understand.

[Guest Billie De]

Just another reason I am so Glad I don't live in Arizona any longer

[VickySGV]

The politest word in the responses was "moron", but now we will have to worry about offending morons.

[Guest JazzySmurf]

mmm, it seems very difficult to enforce... i.e., say somebody just runs around accusing everyone of being transgender. Perhaps, just have a large group of people in the state capitol accusing every legislator of being transgender. To be honest/serious though, I don't think it will pass; it looks to be the bill of one person knee-jerking and trying to make a splash.

[JenniferB]

Just reading the responses on the board, the comments in the articles, and how many threads started about the same issue, there is going to be a major backlash against this legislator.

I'm now wondering if this may actually turn out to be a good thing, and bring more awareness to what transsexuals have to deal with.

Jenny

[JenniferB]

The vote is being delayed, allowing time for a debate. Dozens of transgender people sat in the session. I would have been there too if I had known early enough and could get off work.

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/Transgender-people-force-debate-on-bathroom-use-4368920.php

Jenny

[KathrynJulia]

I used to be conservative, mostly fiscal conservative and common sense social issues. It has gotten so rediculous these days, I'm voting democratic until the morons in the Republican party pull their heads out of rectal defilade which by what I have seen may be a long while. Is there no one in the Republican Party with an ounce of common sense? Someone who looks at people who have needs that really need government to work to solve problems. I throw my hands up. Kathryn

[Carolyn Marie]

We won't know until there is a committee vote, but I haven't seen any verbal support for the author yet, even among fellow Republicans. I'll give the rest of 'em the BOD for now. With a little luck, Kavanagh may be the only "aye" vote on this ill begotten piece of trash.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Sarah Faith]

Wow... I just noticed this state representative who is proposing this bill is actually from the town I grew up in.. And worse I'm pretty certain he's the father of someone I went to school with.

I wish I could say I was shocked though, but I'm really not. *sigh

[Guest JazzySmurf]

lol, I was wondering at the connection :-)

[JenniferB]

The bill is changed, but I wouldn't say it is any better.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/arizona-bathroom-gender-bill-revised-to-give-business-owners-immunity/article_50b615c2-9c84-5e59-998c-e8873abd6f5c.html

This revision could anger the LBG community too. Imagine if you are a butch lesbian who identifies as female, but is told she must use the men's restroom.

Jenny

[Guest RachelAnn]

According to an article that came out from the Arizona Daily Star:
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/arizona-bathroom-gender-bill-revised-to-give-business-owners-immunity/article_50b615c2-9c84-5e59-998c-e8873abd6f5c.html

There is, perhaps, a small inkling of the good senator's motives. Or, at least, a shred of a viable reason. He mentions:

Kavanagh said that preserves protections for those who may be concerned who else is sharing a restroom. "We don't want to have young girls in women's locker rooms being exposed to basically biological men in a state of undress," he said.

With the extreme awareness of child sexual abuse, this comment by Kavanagh, whether he means it truthfully or not, will have resonance to a lot of people. However this bill is opposed, there must be awareness that, for the vast majority of people, they will stand up for their children's sense of safety than they will for the rights of a fringe minority group. And WE need to be aware that though awareness and understanding of the TG condition has become better known in the past ten to twenty years, we don't want to make the mistake of thinking society is more aware or understanding than they really are.

[JenniferB]

According to an article that came out from the Arizona Daily Star:

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/arizona-bathroom-gender-bill-revised-to-give-business-owners-immunity/article_50b615c2-9c84-5e59-998c-e8873abd6f5c.html

There is, perhaps, a small inkling of the good senator's motives. Or, at least, a shred of a viable reason. He mentions:

Kavanagh said that preserves protections for those who may be concerned who else is sharing a restroom. "We don't want to have young girls in women's locker rooms being exposed to basically biological men in a state of undress," he said.

With the extreme awareness of child sexual abuse, this comment by Kavanagh, whether he means it truthfully or not, will have resonance to a lot of people. However this bill is opposed, there must be awareness that, for the vast majority of people, they will stand up for their children's sense of safety than they will for the rights of a fringe minority group. And WE need to be aware that though awareness and understanding of the TG condition has become better known in the past ten to twenty years, we don't want to make the mistake of thinking society is more aware or understanding than they really are.

I can understand this. Even though I currently can use the women's locker room at the gym, I don't because I don't want to make a scene and I don't believe I should until after surgery. Yet why didn't Rep Kavanagh specifically make this bill about locker rooms?

Jenny

[Carolyn Marie]

The revised bill allows legal immunity for business owners who may use prejudice to determine who can use their restrooms. That is only marginally better than the original bill, and does nothing to preserve the rights of those in Phoenix to use the gender-appropriate restroom. Phoenix did the right thing. Kavanagh and company ought to leave it at that.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest RachelAnn]

I can understand this. Even though I currently can use the women's locker room at the gym, I don't because I don't want to make a scene and I don't believe I should until after surgery. Yet why didn't Rep Kavanagh specifically make this bill about locker rooms?

Jenny

Yeah, I'm the same at the Y. I can't legally use the women's locker, though they implied I could. And I can't use the men's locker room because I not only die from embarrassment and discomfort, the fact is that I was nicely blessed during HRT and have long, thick hair and wear a B cup. Yeaaaah... I'm not going to the men's locker room.

Fortunately, they have several family changing rooms, even one with a shower, so I get to go into the one-person/family only locked room and shower/change in comfort.

My next challenge is finding a trainer who is willing to overlook my 6'1" frame and deep voice and work me out with a women's regimen.

Rachel

[Guest Mia J]

I agree with Carolyn on this. The revised bill would still let a business to discriminate against just about anyone not only by how someone appears but by their own prejudice by being able say they looked to much like a male or female.

His comments about not wanting young girls to be exposed is only there to stir up the public to support this.

There are already exposure laws on the books that would take care of someone purposely exposing themselves.

Mia

[Guest Jenni_S]

Well, four words shoud suffice. Thank you, Colleen Francis.

[Guest]

I envision two things. Petitions all over town for his job on a plate, with big yellow posters that read. Mecham, Symington, Kavanagh, The Winning Team! That, and all the unclockable trans men, legally flash mobbing the ladies rooms at churches, sporting events and other mass public functions. They especially need to hang out there when his contistuants families use them too. Flood the web with those reactions.

I was lt go from a job resently, one of the employrs comments was that since I am male, my appearance was considered too disruptive. This was in reference to my breasts. They have since played many more shinangans claiming to the State, that I quit and was not termnated. Long story... JodyAnn

PS--- should I re-apply now that I am legally female? LOL! Not, I would puke.JA

[Guest Claire-G]

to p or not to p

Guess all other problems in Phoenix are solved that they have time for p related stuff.

[Guest KimberlyF]

to p or not to p

Guess all other problems in Phoenix are solved that they have time for p related stuff.

I agree that all of these public accommodation bills should be dealt with after these states fix their budgets and pensions and school issues.

[Guest]

We need a thousand trans only J-Johns for the Capitol lawn, until this is settled.