California law allows transgender students to pick bathrooms, sports teams

[Jazzy]

California on Monday became the first state to enshrine certain rights for transgender kindergarten-through-12th grade students in state law, requiring public schools to allow those students access to whichever restroom and locker room they want.

Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he had signed AB1266, which also will allow transgender students to choose whether they want to play boys' or girls' sports. The new law gives students the right "to participate in sex-segregated programs, activities and facilities" based on their self-perception and regardless of their birth gender.

Supporters said it will help reduce bullying and discrimination against transgender students. It comes as the families of transgender students have been waging local battles with school districts across the country over what restrooms and locker rooms their children can use, disagreements that have sometimes landed in court.

Detractors, including some Republican lawmakers, said allowing students of one gender to use facilities intended for the other could invade the other students' privacy.

Karen England, executive director of Capitol Resource Institute, criticized the Legislature and governor for spreading "San Francisco values" throughout the state.

"The answer is not to force something this radical on every single grade in California," she said.

She said the new law does not require students to prove they have a gender-identity issue, but rather requires school administrators to rely on students' opinions of themselves. England also noted that there is no accurate way to gauge the effect of such policies because no uniform data on student or parent complaints is being collected.

Full article

If you had a say about AB1266, would you be in favor or against it? Please explain your reply.

 

[DrLeftover]

Jesus.

 

[DrLeftover]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make a religious comment.

Give me a minute to think of something else.

 

[DrLeftover]

No.

I think that about sums it up.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

A boy is a boy and a girl is a girl. I doubt any students out there under 18 have had a sex change operation so until then they should stick to the old way. Sorry if that makes me sound close minded or whatever.