The Trans Scare

January 12, 2009 ·

Thanks to Box Turtle Bulletin and Gay News Blog I was introduced to this lovely piece of transphobia:

The commercial, produced by Citizens For Good Public Policy, shows a small white blond girl entering a public restroom in a park. Moments later an older white male wearing a ball cap enters the same restroom. Blasted across the screen are the words “On January 28, 2008, your City Commission made this legal. Is that what you want for Gainesville?” CFGPP’s website even goes even further.  In the news section it says:

“Proponents of Gainesville’s gender identity ordinance insist that accommodations for Gender Identity Disorder are commonplace, and point with pride to the number of cities and counties passing laws similar to Gainesville’s ordinance. But a balanced perspective must also take into consideration widespread restroom rapes and other related molestations against women and young girls that occur when males enter female restrooms. Here is a short list that represents a large problem:”

It then lists crimes committed by men against children in restrooms. The insinuation is that transgender women are really men, and that transgender women commit sex crimes in restrooms.  The problem with mentioning the  “widespread restroom rapes” and molestations is that non of these crimes were committed by transgender/transsexual women. In fact, I’ve never seen a documented case of a transgender person committing a sex crime against a child in a restroom.

The reality is that transgender people exist, and they need to go to the restroom. When this topic is discussed,  transgender women are typically the center of attention. The incidence of M2F transsexuals committing sexual crimes in restrooms is nonexistent. But the violence that surrounds transgender people in bathrooms is all too real. I know this personally. I was cornered in a mens  restroom early on in my transition and physically cornered and harassed.

The irony of it all is that most of these transpobic people don’t realize is that by their own actions they will be forcing this man to use the women’s restroom:

dsc00504
Maybe the youtube video could be remade to say

“Do you want THIS man using the ladies roomYour City Commission is forcing him to use the women’s restroom because he has a vagina. Is that what you want for Gainesville?

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  1. dam the video has been removed. Shame as i wanted to see it. I have to say that in my view transwomen even if none op should use the female rest room. Just do not forget to put the seat down after you have finished! Only joking. Oh and do not feel assulted if i was to brush past you on the way in.

  2. dam the video has been removed. Shame as i wanted to see it. I have to say that in my view transwomen even if none op should use the female rest room. Just do not forget to put the seat down after you have finished! Only joking. Oh and do not feel assulted if i was to brush past you on the way in.

  3. This makes me disgusted and sad that “humanity” can and does produce such filth which in turn produces hateful rhetoric such as this.
    I am a non-op TS woman residing in Denver Colorado. Last year Governor RItter signed into law the SB200 bathroom bill which allows us to safely use the correct facilities. The typical rIght wing evangelical hate machine from Focus On The Family Action attempted in vain to smear the bills intent.
    Thank God they failed.
    I pray for our brothers and sisters in Gainsville that they will obtain safely the same rights afforded me here in Colorado.

    Julia Martin

  4. This makes me disgusted and sad that “humanity” can and does produce such filth which in turn produces hateful rhetoric such as this.
    I am a non-op TS woman residing in Denver Colorado. Last year Governor RItter signed into law the SB200 bathroom bill which allows us to safely use the correct facilities. The typical rIght wing evangelical hate machine from Focus On The Family Action attempted in vain to smear the bills intent.
    Thank God they failed.
    I pray for our brothers and sisters in Gainsville that they will obtain safely the same rights afforded me here in Colorado.

    Julia Martin

  5. Incidentally, the amendment that this ad was advocating was put down by the good people of Gainesville. The amendment itself was much broader in that it would have re-introduced discriminatory practices against LGBT folks in housing, jobs, finances and social interactions in general (like going #1 or #2).

    So I can happily say that even though they TRIED to hit a nerve, it didn’t succeed and Gainesville is still an anti-discrimination city.

    1. Jenna, I’m so relieved and a little surprised! To the folks down in Gainesville, GREAT WORK!

  6. Incidentally, the amendment that this ad was advocating was put down by the good people of Gainesville. The amendment itself was much broader in that it would have re-introduced discriminatory practices against LGBT folks in housing, jobs, finances and social interactions in general (like going #1 or #2).

    So I can happily say that even though they TRIED to hit a nerve, it didn’t succeed and Gainesville is still an anti-discrimination city.

    1. Jenna, I’m so relieved and a little surprised! To the folks down in Gainesville, GREAT WORK!

    2. Jenna, I’m so relieved and a little surprised! To the folks down in Gainesville, GREAT WORK!

  7. Are we really so backward in this world? Trans people are not the ones spreading the hate…I believe it is the right wing radicals who have to place blame and hate on some minority…after all we [trans] are the last hurdle here in the USA for real equality and freedom….I just wonder why if as Trans we are not given the same rights as ” normal” folks then why do we have to pay taxes?

  8. Are we really so backward in this world? Trans people are not the ones spreading the hate…I believe it is the right wing radicals who have to place blame and hate on some minority…after all we [trans] are the last hurdle here in the USA for real equality and freedom….I just wonder why if as Trans we are not given the same rights as ” normal” folks then why do we have to pay taxes?

  9. It’s so simple, isn’t it? The last bit about the transman – PERFECT. Why doesn’t anyone in the GLBT community fund ads with that one? PERFECT, I say.

  10. It’s so simple, isn’t it? The last bit about the transman – PERFECT. Why doesn’t anyone in the GLBT community fund ads with that one? PERFECT, I say.

  11. It’s so simple, isn’t it? The last bit about the transman – PERFECT. Why doesn’t anyone in the GLBT community fund ads with that one? PERFECT, I say.

  12. I’m British, and to use a British expression, “I am Gobsmaked!” How on earth can anyone anywhere in the world get away with such a commercial?? Îon’t you have any organisations to protect the public and us from misleading ads???

  13. I’m British, and to use a British expression, “I am Gobsmaked!” How on earth can anyone anywhere in the world get away with such a commercial?? Îon’t you have any organisations to protect the public and us from misleading ads???

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