Transgender Students Rights

The South Dakota Senate has voted 20-15 to pass HB 1008 an extremely dangerous bill that singles out transgender students & prohibits them from using restrooms & locker rooms consistent with who they are. The bill already passed the House & now goes to the governor’s office. Thomas Lewis, a transgender high school student, shared the harms of this bill with South Dakota’s Senate Education Committee last week stating, “People go to the bathroom. It’s one of the most natural things a person can do. No student should be fearful or anxious about which bathroom to use simply because of who they are. When I see a bill like HB 1008 that targets transgender people like me, it hurts. It makes me feel ashamed to call South Dakota my home. And it makes me feel different, as if I am not human. This bill would single out transgender students like me by forcing me to choose between using a different bathroom from the rest of my peers and using a bathroom that doesn’t correspond with my gender identity. This is only going to further bullying, harassment & discrimination. It opens the door to ridicule & public insult by our peers when really, lawmakers should be focusing on passing legislation where every student can be free to be open about who they are in an accepting environment.” Mara Keisling Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality added, “This bill hurts transgender students, takes away control from local schools & doesn’t solve any problems. In fact, it does more harm than good to both trans kids & South Dakota’s reputation.” Governor Dennis Daugaard now has five business days to veto this bill before it becomes law.
For More Info: transequality.org
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