Gender Identity and the Bathroom Game

http://schoolinginequality.wordpress.com/2009/12/25/gender-identity-and-the-bathroom-game/

Here is a tragic trivia question:  Whom are among the most 'at risk' adolescents in our society today?
Answer:  Transgender individuals living in America today have a one in 12 chance of being murdered.  In contrast, the average person has about a one in 18,000 chance of being murdered.

None the less, every time a transgender student becomes visible to mainstream society it isn't more than a matter of seconds before the bathroom worries are flying all over the place.  And I don't mean anyone is worried about the safety of the transgendered student.

The Willamette Weekly recently wrote an article about a high school cheerleading program that went into self-imposed shut down in order to avoid reinstating a team member, Alonza, who is transgendered.  The coaches of the team have resigned and the team all quit when the school's principal insisted that a dismissed  cheerleader, Alonza, be reinstated on the team.

This article brings tears to my eyes!

Kristi

This is another case in point for the idea that, simply making it illegal to own widgets does not decrease individuals' desire to possess one and making the demonization of widgets part of the kidnergarten curriculum does not ensure that there will grow up a generation, free of widget ownership.

Despite the "progressive" attitude of the San Francisco Bay area, transgendered and homosexual individuals are still attacked and murdered with the same furor as one might expect in the foothills of Appalachia. As has been intimated here before, do not confuse a lack of harassment as being an abundance of acceptance. Anti-discrimination laws only come into effect after the crime scene has been cleaned up.