The Tennessee General Assembly has taken another big step toward long-sought recognition as the most contemptible legislature in the land. This time, lawmakers have earned quick ridicule by
introducing a billaimed at keeping transgender people out of public restrooms. Thanks to Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, and Sen. Bo Watson, R-Chattanooga, for this thoughtful proposal. Under their bill, it's a criminal offense—complete with a $50 fine—for transgender people to use restrooms designated for the sex other than the one listed on their birth certificates.
That puts transgender people in a quandary, since it's legally impossible for them to change their sex on their birth certificates in Tennessee. At Daily Kos, they're wondering what our legislators think they are accomplishing, a question we have asked ourselves a lot lately.
The purpose of the bill is entirely unclear unless they are just trying to erase people who are transgender and stigmatize them permanently as sexual predators who want to prey on unsuspecting victims in public accommodations. The bill seems to be trying to criminalize gender variance - not something that's unheard of. And it's obvious that there is no way to enforce this if it becomes law. They can't possibly employ bathroom police all across the state of Tennessee to make sure that someone going into a female bathroom possesses a birth certificate proving they have the requisite body parts for that bathroom and that they have had those same parts since birth.
Legislative leaders have claimed they will stick to important issues this session for a change and prove Republicans are serious adults capable of governing responsibly. So much for that.
Update: The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition is already out with a presser condemning this bill, which the group has dubbed the Bathroom Harassment Act. Here's the release:
