Lawmakers in Kansas recently introduced a set of bills to the state house and senate that would allow for people to sue for $2,500 if they find a transgender student in the “wrong” restroom.

With this proposed bill, we see our unfocused and bigoted state leaders attempting, yet again, to pass oppressive anti-LGBT laws. This one in particular allows for blatant discrimination, outing and targeting of transgender students.

The Student Physical Privacy Act, as it is titled, is meant to protect the safety and privacy of students in locker rooms and bathrooms by banning transgender students. What would it really do though? It would make transgender students even more vulnerable to being physically and mentally abused.

According to a survey conducted by Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 74 percent of transgender youth report being sexually harassed because of their gender identity or expression. A University of New Hampshire survey found that more than 50 percent of transgender youth attempt suicide.

Now our lawmakers aren’t only ignoring statistics like these, they are now rewarding those who cause them. If this becomes law, it will incite even more violence.

Chromosomes and genitalia people are born with do not always correspond to their gender expression or identity. You can’t understand what it’s like to be transgender unless you are, but picture this: you are constantly called the wrong gender and you are forced to go into the opposite gender’s restroom. It would be pretty uncomfortable, wouldn’t it?

There are stalls in bathrooms. People usually keep to themselves in the locker room. Looking at anyone for any longer than a brief glance while they’re getting changed is quite frankly creepy and rude.

Transgender students are not harming others by using the restroom that coincides with their gender. Why do we have to put a target on their backs? It’s not fair.

Perhaps the best solution to make everyone feel happy and safe would be to have more gender neutral facilities. Or we could make sure there’s at least one stall in each bathroom so there is at least some privacy for trans people who don’t feel comfortable with urinals, etc.

It’s a complicated issue, but we can make it so that no one gets offended.

Our state is in desperate need of fixing problems like tax issues, budget fiascos, Department of Transportation funds, hospital closings, patient rapes and the education crisis, but our lawmakers choose to focus on unnecessary, hate-fueled laws.

If this bill ends up passing, I encourage everyone to continue to be tolerant. It’s easy to cause harm, but we have the power to uplift and edify lives. Show love even when the world is rewarding hate.

16bmathias@usd489.com