Targeting transgender people in restrooms has emerged as a top Republican priority in 2025. After the 2024 election, Congresswoman Nancy Mace will aggressive hate campaign To Sarah McBride, the first transgender MP. Over several days, Mace posted hundreds of demeaning comments about McBride on social media and demanded that she be banned from using the women’s restroom. Her efforts culminated with Chairman Mike Johnson. adopt a policy Ban McBride from using such restrooms. Now, the Montana Republican Party is taking this movement even further, announcing that one of the first bills it will consider in 2025 will be a ban on transgender adults resting in public buildings. If passed, this bill could have serious implications for the state’s two transgender elected officials, Representatives S.J. Howell and Zooey Zephyr, and all transgender people in the state.
The bill is House Bill 121introduced by Republican Kelly Seekins Crowe. mentioned once She said she would not allow her child to change gender if it would prevent them from committing suicide. It had 35 co-sponsors, a significant portion of the Montana Republican Party. If enacted, it would rank as one of the most extreme bathroom bans in the nation and would ban transgender individuals from using the restroom that matches their gender identity in all public facilities in the state.
Notably, the scope of this bill covers all “public buildings,” defined as facilities “owned or leased by public authorities.” This broad definition extends to rest areas, public universities, public schools, libraries, museums, state airports, public hospitals, park restrooms, and more. The measure also includes the state capitol and courthouses in Montana.
The bill came on the heels of a controversial vote by Montana’s Republican Rules Committee. The proposal was narrowly rejected Ban transgender Rep. Zooey Zephyr from using the women’s restroom at the state Capitol. During that session, Republican David Bedi, one of the four Republicans who voted against the bill, expressed skepticism about its usefulness, saying, “This particular action is “It has the effect of making people famous in the news and does not contribute to effective action.” of our business. ” This proposal ultimately failed.
Transgender bathroom bans targeting transgender politicians have become a prominent feature of the country’s political landscape. One of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s first actions, driven by pressure from Representative Nancy Mace, was to ban transgender people from using the restroom in the U.S. House of Representatives building. Ta. This is a move aimed directly at Congresswoman Sarah McBride. Mace is slur used McBride escalated his attack by posting on social media today, calling the congressman a “guy in a suit with makeup” in opposition to the transgender sit-in and consistent misgendering of McBride. The rule was not included in the rules package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, but Johnson clarified Since he is “in charge of the facility” it will actually come into force and be enforced.
mace Announced A similar federal bill would also ban transgender people from using restrooms that match their gender identity on federal property, a measure that could potentially have far-reaching implications. If enacted, the ban would apply to cultural landmarks such as national parks, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of Art, and the National Zoo, as well as military bases, veterans hospitals, federal buildings, and major airports in the Washington, D.C., area. will be done. Dulles and Reagan.
Bathroom bans have a huge negative impact on transgender people. Some lawsuits have shown that such bans have resulted in: Urinary tract infections and medical problems To transgender people who are forced to hold their pee for long periods of time. They force transgender men into women’s restrooms and transgender women into men’s restrooms, which often results in even more confusion and discomfort for everyone involved. . Even when law-abiding, transgender people often face violence. For example, in Ohio, a campground owner told a transgender man to use the ladies’ room because he was assigned female at birth. He complied with the request and went to the women’s bathroom. In doing so, other campers accused him of being a transgender woman, kept beating him.
Cisgender individuals would also not be immune from the effects of such laws. These policies often unfairly target gender nonconforming cisgender people who are falsely accused of being transgender. For example, cisgender women with short hair often get noticed. The problem was highlighted in Las Vegas, where a woman was harassed in a restroom after being falsely accused of being transgender, leading to police intervention. Video of the incident quickly went viral.
Montana’s bill is particularly notable for being one of the first transgender measures to be considered in 2025. 2025 is shaping up to be a particularly difficult year for transgender people, as Republicans across the country appear to be prioritizing the issue. The Montana Legislature is scheduled to convene for a plenary session on Monday. First public hearing on the bill in the House Judiciary Committee this Friday. Across the country, anti-trans laws are receiving widespread attention. the first bill The House rules package aims to ban transgender athletes from sports and other sports. 140 anti-LGBTQ+ bills It is already in place across the country on the opening day of Congress in 2025.
Readers in Montana can contact their legislators using . lookup tool Provided by Datamade.
This article was first published on Erin in the morning.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
