Apr 8, 2009 6:56 am US/Eastern
Bathroom Battle: Transgender Debate At State House
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
There's a bill up for debate at the State House on Wednesday that some worry may create the need for "bathroom police."
Let's say you're a woman in a long restroom line at Fenway Park and you see what appears to be a man standing in line next to you. Would that bother you?
Well that person may be transgender and one state representative is pushing for legislation that would make it a hate crime to deny
a transgender person access to that bathroom.
One definition of transgender is a person whose gender identity is the opposite of the sex they were anatomically assigned at birth -- whether they've been surgically converted or not.
The Herald reports the bathroom issue is one part of a bill sponsored by
Rep. Carl Sciortino Jr. of Medford. The bill is aimed at preventing discrimination against transgender persons in employment, housing and education.
House Bill 1728 would open women's restrooms, lockerrooms and fitness clubs to men who identify as women and vice versa. The bill also proposes making it a hate crime if the transgender person is denied access to single-sex facilities.
Read: Full text of the bill here.
The Massachusetts Family Institute told the Herald they fear letting men, who claim they live as women, use women's and children's restrooms is "an open door to anyone who wants to take advantage of it."
An attorney for the Gays and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders' Transgender Rights Project says it's about equality for all.
Similar bathroom bills were defeated in New Hampshire and Connecticut.
What do you think? Should this bill go through?
Join the conversation on wbztv.com!
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