Frank Artiles has introduced a bill in the Florida legislature that purports to “secure privacy and safety for all individuals using single-sex public facilities” such as restrooms, locker rooms, and fitting rooms. requiring people to use only facilities that match their assigned sex at birth. This Florida bathroom law means even post-operative trans people — those who have undergone full sex change operations — would be forced to use facilities that aren’t in accordance with their gender identities. The bill also provides for civil action against operators of public accommodations who follow trans-inclusive policies. The legislation would override local non-discrimination ordinances extending public accommodations protections to transgender people.

Quick question for the Florida legislature and Frank Artiles, in particular: Take a look at the photos included in this post and tell us: which person belongs in which bathroom?  You may not care one bit how uncomfortable we trans women would feel as women going into the men’s room with men (though, if you had an ounce of compassion, you would), so maybe it bears pointing out that your proposed law would also require the man on the right to use the ladies’ room. Wrap your mind around that one, and maybe you’ll start thinking more clearly.

There is no reason to believe nor evidence to support the idea that trans-inclusive bathroom policies lead to increased crimes of any kind. Indeed the results of actual experience with such laws in jurisdictions where they have been in place for some time proves that this justification for opposing trans-inclusive policies is without merit.  (See http://mediamatters.org/research/2014/03/20/15-experts-debunk-right-wing-transgender-bathro/198533) This leads to the inescapable conclusion that such proposed laws are thinly-veiled expressions of hate against the trans community. As Jim Harper of Equality Florida said, “It’s a mean-spirited solution to a non-existent problem.”

Then again, maybe it is just plain, old-fashioned stupidity.  Our author of the proposed Florida bathroom law also had this gem to offer: “Asked if such a rule would create problems for transgender women required to use the men’s room, Artiles told BuzzFeed News, “People are not forced to go the restroom. They choose to go to the restroom.””