Ohio Republican lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting transgender children from using the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity. Gov. Mike DeWine has already agreed to sign the legislation affecting K–12 and colleges.
“Being seen in a bathroom where you don’t appear to belong puts transgender students at risk,” college student Leo Duru said.
Duru came out as transgender when he was 12 years old, and he claimed to have been verbally and physically abused and attacked after using bathrooms that did not reflect his identity as a trans man.
“I still overthink every move I make and try to leave during classes so that fewer people will be in the restrooms,” he told me.
Now he is concerned about what may happen under Ohio’s upcoming law.
The Senate passed S.B. 104, which requires all public schools and institutions to require students to use the toilet or locker room that corresponds to their natal gender. Originally filed in House Bill 183 by state Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), the proposal was inserted into an uncontroversial and unrelated bill as an amendment at 11 p.m. during the final session before the summer recess.
An official birth record would be used to verify “biological sex” as long as the certificate was “issued at or near the time of the individual’s birth,” implying that it makes no difference if a birth record is altered to match the individual’s identity.
Dara Adkison of TransOhio said this would make it more difficult for LGBT adolescents to live their lives after Ohio prohibited gender-affirming care and school sports earlier this year.
“There are people that hate them, somewhat unequivocally, just for wanting to use the bathroom,” Adkison told me. Ohio Republican lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting transgender children from using the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity. Gov. Mike DeWine has already agreed to sign the legislation affecting K–12 and colleges.
“Being seen in a bathroom where you don’t appear to belong puts transgender students at risk,” college student Leo Duru said.
Duru came out as transgender when he was 12 years old, and he claimed to have been verbally and physically abused and attacked after using bathrooms that did not reflect his identity as a trans man.
“I still overthink every move I make and try to leave during classes so that fewer people will be in the restrooms,” he told me.
Now he is concerned about what may happen under Ohio’s upcoming law.
The Senate passed S.B. 104, which requires all public schools and institutions to require students to use the toilet or locker room that corresponds to their natal gender. Originally filed in House Bill 183 by state Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), the proposal was inserted into an uncontroversial and unrelated bill as an amendment at 11 p.m. during the final session before the summer recess.
An official birth record would be used to verify “biological sex” as long as the certificate was “issued at or near the time of the individual’s birth,” implying that it makes no difference if a birth record is altered to match the individual’s identity.
Dara Adkison of TransOhio said this would make it more difficult for LGBT adolescents to live their lives after Ohio prohibited gender-affirming care and school sports earlier this year.
“There are people that hate them, somewhat unequivocally, just for wanting to use the bathroom,” Adkison told me.
Source: Ohio lawmakers pass transgender bathroom ban
