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California’s Transgender Trendsetting

In California, state law now mandates letting public school boys who think they are girls and girls who think they are boys play on the same sports team as the gender they believe they are, as well as use the same bathrooms. Although California law already shields transgender students from discrimination, Ammiano argued his bill […]

In California, state law now mandates letting public school boys who think they are girls and girls who think they are boys play on the same sports team as the gender they believe they are, as well as use the same bathrooms.

Although California law already shields transgender students from discrimination, Ammiano argued his bill would guarantee uniform treatment across the state’s hundreds of school districts. It clarifies that individual districts cannot bar students from a single-sex setting like a men’s basketball team or a women’s locker room.

If a teen drag queen wants to be a cheerleader, the school district has to let him, or it’s guilty of illegal discrimination. If a girl wants to play football and use the boys’ locker room, the school has to let her, or you-know-what. Good luck with that football schedule, teams.

Recall that just recently, the Obama Justice Department tackled California’s Arcadia school district for not allowing a girl who thinks of herself as a boy use the boy’s restroom. Even though the school had given the transgender student the option of using the school nurse’s bathroom, that wasn’t good enough for her/him. On civil rights grounds, the Department of Justice came down on the side of the transgender student, and forced a policy change. Now, California has changed state law.

I don’t live in California, and California’s legislature can do what Californians want it to. Viva federalism, and all that. But the Obama administration believes that school districts that don’t give transgenders what they want are guilty of civil rights violations. From the Politico story linked above:

While the agreement is only between the district and federal agencies, it sets a precedent, said Asaf Orr, a staff attorney at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which filed the complaint on behalf of the Arcadia student.

“This sends a clear message to school districts around the country saying ‘This is what the federal government is going to be expecting of you,’” Orr said.

Sooner or later, people who believe the line that these radical changes are not really going to affect much are going to realize that they’ve been lied to.

 

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