3 GIANT Lies Wingnuts Want You To Believe (So Transpeople Can't Pee)

by Julian Klein

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous.

Anyone even slightly aware of LGBT politics has heard of HB2 — the Anti-Transgender Bathroom Law in North Carolina. You know ... the one that forces trans and genderqueer people to use the bathroom that matches the sex on their birth certificate.
Because everyone carries that around … NOT.
While this law is completely ludicrous, it is also extremely dangerous for transpeople.

But what if you’re not trans? Why should you care about something that doesn’t affect you? Except that it does.

Here are some of the (REALLY harmful) myths associated with this law:

1. "Men will go in the women’s bathroom to look at/attack girls."

Every time gender is mentioned, this argument pops up, and it applies directly to controlling people with this bathroom law. Many argue that this law will prevent perverts and pedophiles from using the “wrong” bathroom — but this law isn’t directed at those groups. It’s directed at TRANSpeople.

Honestly, if you'd ever had any issues with convicted sexual predators and pedophiles using bathrooms before, you didn't seem too concerned having those SAME sexual predators in the bathroom with your just-as-vulnerable sons.

Anti-transgender groups are counting on this fear SO much, they are actually sending sexual predators into ladies’ rooms at Target, to scare people into agreeing with them.

2. "If you’re a normal person, you’ll be fine."

But what defines a "normal" person? In the parameters of HB2, that would be someone cis.

But what if you’re a short haired, flannel and denim-wearing cis girl? There are people willing to follow (who they think are) transpeople into the bathroom and harass them, but if you’re like this girl — you’ll be arrested and thrown off the premises. All because you don’t “look like a girl” in their eyes.

Just take a look at what happened with Aimee Toms — a 22-year-old Connecticut woman who was confronted and antagonized by a stranger in the bathroom because they (mistakenly) thought she was transgender.

3. "Bathrooms are dangerous because no one can save you."

This idea that bathroom safety is tied to the law is a myth. In most public bathrooms, there are so many people going in and out, there is almost NO way for the predator to be alone with a potential victim.

But what about low volume bathrooms, where almost no one is coming in and out? Then I respond, “Was a law going to save you anyway?”
All this law does is foster paranoia against trans people and takes pressure off pedophiles and sexual predators. Think on that before you decide who should have the right to pee.