Arizona seems to always be on the wrong end of the fight, as in the 2010 immigration law, and in my opinion this new proposed law is no different. This is blatantly discriminatory against transgender persons, and for what? The bill requires an individual to use public restrooms, and locker/dressing rooms of the biological sex listed on their birth certificate. If said individual is found to be in violation could face up to six months in jail. I am not transgender, but I can say from personal experience being what most would consider a “butch” lesbian, public bathrooms are awful places. Because of my perceived deviance, a man being in the women’s bathroom, I have been stared at, run out, and scolded like a child. I can just imagine being in Arizona and having to show my birth certificate to prove I am of the right gender. Who carries that around with them on a regular basis anyway? All this law will do is expose “passing” transgender people and make them more vulnerable to violence and discrimination. Changing the sex on a birth certificate is a difficult process as well. Some states like Ohio and Idaho won’t allow a change at all, and others require proof of surgery. Surgery is expensive, not covered by health insurance, and not all transgender people want to have surgery to begin with.
Those who are proposing the bill argue that pedophiles will gain access to different gendered public places in order to expose themselves to children. Another argument is that a man could just say “well I feel like being a woman today” and then claim discrimination. I think their arguments are ridiculous and basically criminalizes trans gendered people putting them in the same category as pedophiles. What we need is stiff anti-discrimination laws and really what is so bad about gender neutral bathrooms? There is no biological need to segregate the sexes in public bathrooms, and NO ONE should have to show their birth certificate to use one!
Marianne