The 50 Spot: The Bathroom Bill

One of the tactics that anti-LGBT forces use in arguing against anti-discrimination protections for transgender people is the idea that they will be allowed to take over public restrooms and use either men's or women's rooms.  It's a ludicrous argument, but one that plays on people's worst fears about the word transgender.  It's worked in Gainesville, Florida (where the city will go to vote tomorrow to decide whether a trans-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance can be kept on the books), and it's a tactic being used in New Hampshire to railroad efforts to expand the state's anti-discrimination laws to include gender identity and expression.  The State Legislature is set to continue debate on the proposed bill this week.  Elsewhere in the country we're heading to Hawaii, where a civil unions bill may be forced out of a deadlocked subcommittee and put forward for a vote, and to North Carolina, where anti-bullying legislation is heating up state politics.  To the 50 Spot.

New Hampshire: In addition to marriage equality legislation, New Hampshire is also debating a trans-inclusive anti-discrimination bill that would extend protections to transgender New Hampshire folks.  The bill, sponsored by openly gay State Rep. Ed Butler, seeks to add New Hampshire to the list of thirteen U.S. states that have trans-inclusive state laws.  Rep. Butler told the Seacoastonline: "It's not that if we pass this law all of a sudden people who are transgendered will move into our state or suddenly appear.  They live among us now in all of our towns and cities."  Opponents, however, are launching bathroom attacks.  One such foe, State Rep. Bob Rowe voted against the bill because he's worried that the bill would allow any man to walk into a women's changing room, and vice versa.  This is an argument that plays on fear rather than reality.  As Rep. Butler has said: "There has never once been a reported instance where a transgender person has been a sexual predator in a bathroom or not in the bathroom.  It's a red herring. It's something to generate people's fears."

Hawaii: A few weeks ago, efforts to legalize civil unions in Hawaii stalled in the state legislature, after a subcommittee deadlocked on whether to support the bill.  Now, the bill's lead sponsor in the Senate - Sen. Gary Hooser - is debating whether to push forward a motion to pull the bill out of committee and put it up for a vote before the entire Senate body, where it's expected the bill will pass.  The impetus behind the push for civil unions in Hawaii?  A recent poll that was released that showed 81 percent (yes, 81 percent) of the state favors civil unions for same-sex couples.  Sheesh, with numbers like that, this should be a no-brainer for the State Senate.

North Carolina: An anti-bullying bill in North Carolina is drawing debate amongst state lawmakers, in particular, whether schools should be required to come up with policies to address bullying on the basis of certain characteristics, among them including race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socio-economic status.  Equality North Carolina, a supporter of the bill, says that the bill is an effort to make sure all NC students are safe in the classroom.  Others, however, like the anti-LGBT North Carolina Family Institute, think the bullying bill is a subversive effort to recognize the LGBT lifestyle on a state level.  Is there no shame among organizations like the NC Family Institute?  Seeking to turn a measure that protects children into a rant against LGBT individuals.  These groups are dangerous.