This And That In The News – Trans Issues (Bathroom Police & Birth Certificates)

"This And That In The News" is about articles in the news that have caught my eye and I want to share or comment about. These are the articles that caught my attention last week.

After much national negative press Arizona Rep. John Kavanagh, has withdrawn his bill on bathroom police.

Arizona transgender bathroom bill won’t move
By Dustin Gardiner
The Republic | azcentral.com
Wed Jun 5, 2013

The fight over Arizona’s so-called “bathroom bill” has been flushed, at least for the time being.

Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, announced Wednesday that he will drop the bill aimed at transgender people who use public restrooms, showers and locker rooms. Kavanagh, who sponsored the bill, said he would introduce it again next year.

His proposal drew national media attention and outraged gay-rights activists.

Senate Bill 1045 would have prohibited local governments from passing ordinances that could subject businesses to lawsuits or criminal penalties if they forbid a transgender person from using a restroom.

His original bill would have allowed businesses to deny trans-people or someone who they thought was transgender from using the bathroom. When there was a large amount of flack nationally about the bill he changed the bill to exempt businesses from lawsuits or arrest if they deny a person the use of the bathroom.

The next article is from Washington DC where they join Illinois in allowing birth certificates to be changed without surgery.

D.C. Council Moves Toward New Birth Certificates for Transgender People
Ch 4 NBC Washington
By Tom Sherwood
Thursday, Jun 6, 2013

The D.C. Council is preparing to pass legislation that would make it easier for transgender people to obtain new birth certificates reflecting their change in sexual identity.

The new law would ease a costly and bureaucratic system now in effect.

“D.C.’s law as it currently exists makes it really hard for trans people to get their vital records in line with who they really are,” said Andy Bowen, an activist with the DC Trans Coalition who helps fight discrimination in housing and jobs.
[…]
The D.C. Council Judiciary Committee voted to wipe away a lot of those restrictions on sex identity changes, approving a proposal that would require only a certified statement from a medical doctor and would eliminate the publicity and surgery requirements.

This is a great step forward, as the article said it can cost tens of thousands of dollars for surgery and for some there also maybe medical reasons why they cannot have surgery. I hope other states follow their lead.