When progressive values clash: the problem of safety in ladies' rooms

[uppityperson]

24. 2 interesting articles. Woman assaults a woman in br and about transgender in br bigotry

http://rochester.ynn.com/content/all_news/640677/falls-police-officer-accused-of-assaulting-woman-in-darien-lake-bathroom/

A Niagara Falls police officer has been charged with an assault that injured another woman in a Darien Lake bathroom, during a concert last summer.
Kelly Alcorn was indicted by a Genesee County grand jury for assault in the 2nd degree; a class D felony.

The incident happened on August 25th, 2012. Police said she and Elizabeth Dake were in a fight. Dake's head hit a cinderblock wall, causing injuries.

http://dctranscoalition.wordpress.com/campaigns/our-bathroom-safety-campaign/

All over the world, anti-trans bigots try to convince the public that trans people are somehow a “threat” in public bathrooms. We’ve seen it in New Hampshire, in Gainesville, Fl and close to home in Montgomery County, Md: Our opponents stereotype trans people as sexual predators and try to use “bathroom panic” to defeat legislation that would protect our ability to gain employment and live safe lives.

In Massachusetts, conservative opponents of a bill that would add gender identity and expression to the human rights law there began calling the legislation “the bathroom bill.” These anti-trans activists hoped to distract voters from the real issues at hand – fighting transphobic discrimination – by implying that trans women are shady deceivers who will somehow exploit the law in order to enter women’s bathroom and assault other women.

This line of reasoning is completely illogical. We’re already using public bathrooms, and have been since we have existed. There have never been any documented problems caused by us. While there are may be some trans individuals with histories of committing sexual assault, there are far more cisgender (non-trans) people who are sexual predators and this is never used as a reason to argue that cisgender people should be banned from bathrooms of a particular gender.

The idea that trans people are more likely to commit such crimes is only a harmful, bigoted stereotype. Further, even if trans people are allowed to use the bathroom that is consistent with our gender identity, there are already laws against sexual assault. Allowing us to pee in peace won’t change that, or make it easier for anyone to break those existing laws.