4 things journalists should ask instead of just repeating anti-trans “bathroom predator” talking points.
Seriously. Do your jobs, folks.
1. “What do you mean by ‘men in women’s restrooms?’”
Here’s the thing: people who oppose letting trans people use bathrooms that match their gender love to play this question both ways.
What they often say:
See? It’s not about them being bigots or anything. It’s not that they have a problem with trans people, per say, but rather, that there are sneaky men who will use a law that says trans people can use the according to their gender identity to “pretend to be transgender” (seriously, search for that phrase, in quotes, and you’ll find thousands of reactions from people who claim to be worried about this).
What they actually mean:
Transgender women are men; transgender men are women.
When Mike Huckabee or Ted Cruz says they’re afraid of “men using women’s bathrooms,” they’re including me, a transgender woman, in the grouping of “men.”
What the media should do:
Shut down that first point by pointing out that in the 17 states and more than 200 cities that have trans-inclusive non-discrimination ordinances, there has never been a single incident of a man “pretending to be transgender,” walking into a women’s restroom, and then assaulting a woman (and BTW, assaulting someone, regardless of gender, is still VERY MUCH ILLEGAL).
At this point, they’ll be forced to admit, “Yeah, I mean transgender people — I think they’re a risk.” Good! At least we’re being honest. That’s where the 2nd question comes into play.
And how is it that the same people who argue that gun laws don’t work because “criminals don’t follow laws” are the same people arguing that a law is all that’s keeping people from walking past a little plastic sign with a dress on it?
2. “Statistically speaking, you’re more likely to be assaulted in a restroom by a Republican Congressman than a transgender person, so why isn’t there a similar move to ban Republicans from bathrooms?”
The Williams Institute estimates that there are more than 700,000 transgender people in the U.S., and not one has been arrested for assaulting someone in a bathroom. At any given time, there are just a few hundred men holding national office… and yet… they’ve been known to cause harm to others in bathrooms. No matter how you measure it, they’re more dangerous.
Hopefully, by this point, you can get them to say, “Okay, so, I don’t think trans people are actually a threat.”
Like seriously, check this out:
3. “So then why do you oppose allowing transgender people use restrooms that correspond to their gender?”
Here’s where they’ll say something bizarre about genitals or whatever. A follow up question might be, “Um, how often do you see people’s genitals in the restroom? Maybe you’re the one we should all feel uncomfortable about sharing a restroom with…”
Maybe they’ll be honest and just say, “Trans people make me uncomfortable, and I don’t feel like I should have to share a bathroom with people I find uncomfortable.”
After all, that’s pretty much what Ben Carson said…
OH WAIT A MINUTE. I THINK WE’VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE.
4. “So, you believe you shouldn’t have to share a bathroom with someone on the basis of their gender because they make you uncomfortable. How would you feel about someone saying, ‘I don’t want to have to use the same bathroom as someone of a different race because they make me uncomfortable’?”
Because, like it or not, that’s kind of what’s at stake here. It was wrong to segregate bathrooms on the basis of race. It’s wrong to do it on the basis of whether or not someone is transgender. Trans people shouldn’t have to use special third bathrooms or anything like that. We’ve set a historic precedent that “I’m uncomfortable using bathrooms with people not like me” is not a valid reason to deny a group basic rights (believe me, if I could avoid using public restrooms from now until the end of time, I would, but that’s just not in the cards).
By taking these (really simple) steps, you can actually inform the public instead of just reiterating anti-trans talking points.
Ta-da! Because all it takes is a few questions to complete debunk their “concerns” as little more than bigotry. Try it sometime.
