Bathrooms Are Not Separate-But-Equal

[Natasha]

Bathrooms Are Not Separate-But-Equal

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113454/maine-supreme-court-decide-transgender-student-bathroom-case#
6/12/13
ADAM WINKLER

Where should a transgender schoolgirl be allowed to pee? To some, this may sound like a minor, insignificant question, but not to Nicole Maines, a 15-year-old transgender girl who attended Maine public schools. Born a boy biologically, Maines now self-identifies as a girl, dressing in girls' clothing and sporting a typical 15-year-old girl's hair and makeup. In addition to the harassment she faced from other kids, Maines also met intolerance by school officials, who refused to allow her to use the girls' bathroom. Instead, in a remarkably insensitive decision, the school required her to use a staff bathroom after a grandparent of a male student complained that Maines shouldn't be allowed in the little girls' room.

[Vicky]

I have thought of the author's argument myself several times over the years. Maybe Brown vs Board Of Education could be a precedent here!!

What I do not get about the case itself is why a grandfather of a Boy had any standing in this matter.  Did he want the grandson to have a better chance at punching the lights out of a Trans* classmate??  I guess that it was a poor shot at getting the girl to have to "man-up" or gramps was afraid that his grandson would want to wear a dress too. I have too many bad possibilities in mind here.

[Naomi]

Why is that even when people are trying to help they still end up using the word choice (found in the comments)? Honestly if people are going to accept transgender people they just need to see that it is not A) a choice, and B) a physical condition. It just seems like so many people don't understand these two things. Even if they cant imagine what it feels like, if they actually understood those two things then I feel like there'd be so many less problems.

I have thought of the author's argument myself several times over the years. Maybe Brown vs Board Of Education could be a precedent here!!

What I do not get about the case itself is why a grandfather of a Boy had any standing in this matter.  Did he want the grandson to have a better chance at punching the lights out of a Trans* classmate??  I guess that it was a poor shot at getting the girl to have to "man-up" or gramps was afraid that his grandson would want to wear a dress too. I have too many bad possibilities in mind here.

I had seen in a different article that someone from the story's local area had said that the grandfather is a fundamentalist and had previously harassed the family of Nicole.