The Bathroom Bill

[Shan]

Apr 1, 2016 3:25:55 GMT 8 @foxglove said:

www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/03/more-ceos-seek-repeal-of-north-carolina-transgender-law/

More allies stepping up.  North Carolina isn't looking so good these days.

Cool! One of our trans women members (Bhhfmm) used to post here often lived in NC, it would be interesting to get her take on what's happening there. Been missing her, wonder what happened to that woman?

[EchelonHunt]

Any discussion regarding the Bathroom Bill is to be continued here, please

Thank you!

Now make the thread go on FI-YAH!!!

(Inside joke: When multiple pages are made from discussion, the folder icon on the thread gets lit on fire, hence I go "This thread is on FI-YAAH!!!".)

[DCW]

I'm in NC as well; right now I'm sitting in an office less than 10 miles from the state Legislative Building.

There's a lot of angles being taken to fight this right now. I'm friends with several of the people who are very directly involved (a few you've seen in the various photos, etc.)

I've also decided to take a direct route of activism: public, documented civil disobedience in defiance of HB 2. I broke it last weekend while working an event at the State Fairgrounds (government owned, thus my use of the women's restroom was a violation) and will be violate it again at a later date at the Legislative Building.

It's funny; 3-ish years ago I gave up on LGBT activism in the state as it was clear that Equality NC was heading LGB-only and they weren't going to accomplish much, if anything. Now I'm in the midst of it along with a bunch of others.

[Deleted]

Well done, DCW! Keep us posted, will you? This is one I intend to keep my eye on.

[Deleted]

Does this mean we give links to news stories about the bathroom here?

[EchelonHunt]

I'm going to create a timeline of links in the OP when I get time

If you'd like to quote a comment in any articles to discuss about at length with others, talk about controversy regarding the bathroom bill or ways we could remwdy the bathroom issue.(whack-a-bigot, anyone?), you are more than welcome to.

[Deleted]

OK. Second question: I need to go right now. Which loo do I use? Oh, right, there's only one in my flat, and I've checked to make sure that there aren't any women or little girls around who might be at risk from me, so do you think I'll be OK? Should I contact the ACLU first? Obviously, I don't want to upset anybody.

[Shan]

Apr 2, 2016 0:38:11 GMT 8 @foxglove said:

Well done, DCW! Keep us posted, will you? This is one I intend to keep my eye on.

Me too, hope it doesn't affect your job future though!

[Shan]

Apr 2, 2016 1:41:48 GMT 8 @foxglove said:

OK. Second question: I need to go right now. Which loo do I use? Oh, right, there's only one in my flat, and I've checked to make sure that there aren't any women or little girls around who might be at risk from me, so do you think I'll be OK? Should I contact the ACLU first? Obviously, I don't want to upset anybody.

Don't overthink it Foxy, you'll wet your panties or your bladder will burst if you wait for an answer. Jacey is in another time zone far, far away.

[EchelonHunt]

If you've gotta go, you gotta go.

Use the loo that fits your presentation for that day, if you are presenting as a girl, use the womens. If you are in "guy mode", use the mens.

If possible, or you don't feel confident going into either without facing possible harassment (like I do!), I find a unisex/disabled single stall toilet.

But I thought you live in Ireland? There aren't any laws that have passed that are like North Carolina there, has there?

I don't think there's anything to be concerned about, if you pass (I HATE that word) blend in as a girl, there should no issue with using the restroom that matches your identity.

Hold your head high, enter your loo of choice and tinkle to your heart's content!

[Shan]

Yes and we might add, don't spend any time preening in front of the mirror, make eye contact as minimal as possible and avoid getting into conversations, get in and get-er-done and get out.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2016 16:17:53 GMT 8 EchelonHunt said:

If you've gotta go, you gotta go.

Too late. That was many hours ago I asked that question, and I couldn't hold it. Bit of an accident. Oh, well, I'll know better next time.

Apr 2, 2016 16:17:53 GMT 8 EchelonHunt said:

But I thought you live in Ireland? There aren't any laws that have passed that are like North Carolina there, has there?

As a matter of fact, during the 2-3 years when our recently-passed Gender Recognition Act was being investigated/considered/debated, to my knowledge the question of the loo never arose. Nobody ever asked whether transpeople were capable of using the loo without causing any trouble.

I have asked people in the know, and the info I got was that there aren't any laws in this country relating to the question of who uses which loo. Legally anybody can use any loo. It's custom and good sense that lead people to choose the loo they want and not cause trouble. As for me, given that I'm now legally female, presumably no one could question my right to use the ladies'.

A friend of mine told me that she got hassled once. They wanted to keep her out of the ladies' because there had recently been a rape committed there. So I asked her, was it a transperson or a cisman who committed said rape? She didn't know--but I think we can all guess which is more likely. So it was a case of punishing a transperson for a crime committed by a cisperson.

[Shan]

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-agencies-review-funding-to-nc-in-wake-of-new-lgbt-law/2016/04/04/3e222236-faa6-11e5-9140-e61d062438bb_story.html

[TheQ]

Apr 6, 2016 6:03:30 GMT 8 Shan said:

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-agencies-review-funding-to-nc-in-wake-of-new-lgbt-law/2016/04/04/3e222236-faa6-11e5-9140-e61d062438bb_story.html

This is really interesting!

Awful of course, the law is ridiculous. I hate the fact these bigots use any backlash to claim that it's the victims who are the real threat. Disgusting!
But how interesting that North Carolina are facing such a huge backlash from so many angles.

There have been massive corporations weighing in (which is interesting in itself I think, how companies who decades ago would have said "no comment" are now threatening to use their power for good) and now even the Federal Government itself!? 

We can only hope the pressure builds and NC are forced to get their act together and get with the times!

[Deleted]

www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/02/ian-mcewan-criticised-over-transgender-remarks

“For example, some men in full possession of a penis are now identifying as women and demanding entry to women-only colleges, and the right to change in women’s dressing rooms.”

One more cisgender person who doesn't even begin to understand transgenderism and yet thinks he has the right to comment on it and on our right to live as we need to live.

Such people are never going to understand transgenderism until they come to understand that they don't understand it.  And how do you get them to do that?  I don't know that you can.  You educate the educable.  You try and work around the others.