LAWRENCE, Kan. - This past year, the Lawrence branch of the Kansas Equality Coalition, a statewide group that advocates for the rights of GLBT Kansans, went to the Lawrence city commission asking that the city add the term "gender identity" to Lawrence's human rights ordinance. The ordinance as it stands now includes language protecting Lawrence residents from discrimination based on race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability or familial status.
Apparently the city commission wasn't sure whether or not to include two more words in the ordinance, so they passed the issue on to the Lawrence Human Relations Commission for a recommendation. After holding an open forum where the public could speak its mind and then discussing the matter amongst themselves, in November of 2009, the Human Relations Commission recommended to the city commission that it NOT add the term "gender identity" to the anti-discrimination policy.
Now, the issue isn't dead yet. So far, the city commission has yet to actually vote on the matter, and it's the city commission that makes the final determination, not the Human Relations Commission. So when the vote does come up for consideration, it'll be interesting to see how the commission votes and I'll be sure to keep Kansas Free Press readers posted.
What gets me is this: apparently one of the deciding issues amongst the "no" voters on the Human Relations Commission, specifically attorney Tim Riling, was that adding "gender identity" to the ordinance could "create a situation where a man, dressed as a woman, could enter a women's restroom to assault a woman or child." (The quotes reflect text from an article in the Lawrence Journal World.)
Sigh. It's so sad. Gay and lesbian folks have come so far and yet transgendered people are treated like sex-crazed lepers. I can hear the fear out there right now, "Oh yeah? Would YOU want to share a public restroom with a dude dressed like a woman?!?"
As a matter of fact, I have. Several times, in fact. When I used to go clubbing with my gay guy friend, I spent many a long wait in the potty line with gay guys, full-on transsexuals and just guys who liked to present themselves as female. Their sum total interest in me was to ask where I'd bought my blouse or what cute shade of lipstick I was wearing. Seriously. That's all.
The bottom line is that transgender issues are medical, but society insists on viewing these individuals as having sexual or mental problems. A person who is born technically a woman but knows with all of his being that he should have been born a man just needs the right plumbing, that's all. And some people don't want the plumbing; they just want to be able to present themselves as the gender that makes them comfortable, and that's okay, too. It doesn't affect their ability to do good work, or be friendly, or be a good partner or even a good parent. They're not scary. They're not the boogeyman. They don't want to get into your pants. They're just people.
And as far as sharing a bathroom with a transgendered person goes, you've most certainly done it, just like I have. You just didn't know it.
C'mon, Lawrence. What's the big deal about two more words? Oh, yeah. Peoples' rights.
Amber, welcome to the Kansas Free Press. We're so fortunate that you've joined us. Great first article too! I love it when people report on their local governments. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, or so they say! Welcome. We're glad you're here.
It was pointed out to me that I used the words "transgender" and "transsexual" as a noun and not an adjective. In other words, the title of this piece should have been "Transgendered People are People Too." I thought I'd go ahead and post this comment so that others may learn from the grammar lesson, and I sincerely apologize for my misuse of words.