State Anti-Transgender Bathroom Bills Threaten Transgender People's Health, Participation in Public Life

"Washington, D.C. — A policy brief released today by The Fenway Institute and the Center for American Progress examines controversial state and local legislation that would prevent transgender people from using gendered public facilities, such as restrooms or locker rooms, that align with their gender identity. The brief debunks myths about safety concerns regarding the use of these spaces by people who are transgender and describes the many negative outcomes that these discriminatory bills could cause. Lastly, it calls on states to pass laws that protect the rights of all Americans to access public accommodations regardless of gender identity."

From:
https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release/2016/01/05/128169/release-state-anti-transgender-bathroom-bills-threaten-transgender-peoples-health-participation-in-public-life/

Which links to:
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/ext/2016/01/05/128257/state-anti-transgender-bathroom-bills-threaten-transgender-peoples-health-and-participation-in-public-life/

American Progress/January 5, 2016

Which links to the actual policy brief here:
http://fenwayhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/COM-2485-Transgender-Bathroom-Bill-Brief_v8-pages.pdf

Fenway Health/January 5, 2016

This won't prevent the plethora of new ballot measures that will appear on this year's ballot. It's how one party brings out their base. Look how well that worked for them with gay marriage. They will choose to force the issue and in the short term they may make a little progress to their way of thinking. The backlash will swing things much farther in the direction they don't want.

Cindi

Quote from: Cindi Jones on January 05, 2016, 09:05:31 PM
This won't prevent the plethora of new ballot measures that will appear on this year's ballot. It's how one party brings out their base. Look how well that worked for them with gay marriage. They will choose to force the issue and in the short term they may make a little progress to their way of thinking. The backlash will swing things much farther in the direction they don't want.

Cindi

Right you are!  In 2004, Karl Rove and the Republicans mobilized their ignorant base by putting two dozen anti-same-sex-marriage measures on the ballot in states across the country.  In the short term, it worked: the yokels turned out in droves, passed the measures, and re-elected Bush as a by-product.

I think trans people are in about the same place that lesbian and gay folks were in 2004.  And things are headed along the same path.  In a decade, the troglodytes selling trans-panic to the masses are going to look awfully foolish.  But they're doing a lot of damage and harming lots of good people in the meantime.

Quote from: itsApril on January 05, 2016, 10:20:02 PM
Right you are!  In 2004, Karl Rove and the Republicans mobilized their ignorant base by putting two dozen anti-same-sex-marriage measures on the ballot in states across the country.  In the short term, it worked: the yokels turned out in droves, passed the measures, and re-elected Bush as a by-product.

I think trans people are in about the same place that lesbian and gay folks were in 2004.  And things are headed along the same path.  In a decade, the troglodytes selling trans-panic to the masses are going to look awfully foolish.  But they're doing a lot of damage and harming lots of good people in the meantime.

I think you are both so correct. And, there's this:
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/04/millennials-views-of-news-media-religious-organizations-grow-more-negative/
"Since 2010, Millennials' rating of churches and other religious organizations has dipped 18 percentage points: 55% now say churches have a positive impact on the country compared with five years ago, when nearly three-quarters (73%) said this. Views among older generations have changed little over this time period. As a result, older generations are now more likely than Millennials – who are much less likely than their elders to be religious – to view religious organizations positively. "

It's like conservatives have to keep doubling the intensity of their rhetoric as their base gets older, like it's an addictive drug. But as they do they are increasingly alienating the young generations. Won't be hardly anyone left for the next generation of conservative politicians, but I think I can live with that, you know?