The Tennessean's Brad Schrade explores the prospective Metro Nashville non-discrimination ordinance in today's Tennessean, talk of which brings out the crazy fantasies on the far Right.
First, David Fowler of Family Action of Tennessee says that there is no objective way to know sexual orientation and gender identity. The issue, however, is whether there are grounds for establishing that discrimination took place because of those factors.
Fowler really had to reach in order to find a fantasy scenario with which to scare his Williamson County neighbors (yes, that's right, he lives in Williamson County, not Davidson):
Asked about the unintended consequences, he said passage of a bill would lead to lawsuits and confusion and awkward situations, citing a recent publicized case in Maine in which a transgender student who was biologically a boy was allowed to use the girls restroom.
Come on, Mr. Fowler. An alleged case in Maine about bathrooms is supposed to be enough to deny Metro employees basic job protections. This is a typical tactic on the Right and one that experience shows people don't buy. In fact, lots of employers already have inclusive non-discrimination policies in Nashville. Many employers already include sexual orientation and gender identity/expression in their non-discrimination policies. Here is a partial list.
Let's get our heads out of the toilet and do what's right for Metro government employees. IT'S TIME!
First of all, what is wrong with a trans woman (or girl in this case) using the public restroom that matches her public appearance? You would rather have someone who for all outward purposes is a woman using the mens room?
ReplyDeleteRight this very second I have a friend in Maryland who is having to leave work and run across the street (including two big parking lots) to use the family restroom at Target. She has been given special permission to leave her area because of this, but it is bad for her, and bad for her business. The District HR person who came in to tell her about this was rude, calling her 'Sir', and implying that she was a rapist and a child molester just because she was trans.
We are not monsters, we are no threat to anyone, and more than that.... we have the same desire for human dignity and a normal life that anyone else has. These laws aren't about "special" protections, they are about trying to make people leave us alone so we can live our life.