The Bathroom Has Become a Privacy Issue for Transgender Rights
Gender identity is not a side circus or a freak show.
Where do you pee?
If someone asks you that, you would find the person asking you that question dumb.
It isn’t an issue for most of us, and even for a gay man like myself, it was never an issue. I am gay, but my gender identity is that of a male guy.
And it should be the same for Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transman who is in the middle of a lawsuit that would decide where he needs to pee in his school.
Who is Gavin Grimm?
“All I want to do is be a normal child and use the restroom in peace,” he said, noting that no students had given him trouble about this, only adults. “I’m just a human. I am just a boy.”
In November 2014, Gavin Grimm, then a high school sophomore, approached the lectern at a meeting of the school board in Gloucester County,
Transcript
hello everybody I prepared a speech
today but I think in light of the
comments I’ve heard it’s it’s better for
me to speak without this paper so to
address some first of all to address the
most pressing the most recurring theme
I’ve seen everyone here that spoken
about me so far has referred to me as a
girl this is the first mistake seeing as
I very simply am NOT a girl we know as a
scientific fact that there is in fact
research to support that this is in no
way shape or form a choice I want to
address the questions why can’t I use
the nurses room why can’t I use a
separate bathroom why can’t I use the
woman’s room first of all I did in fact
have to use the nurses room for the
first part of the year
this was alienating it was humiliating
and seeing as the nurse’s office is in
one place in a very large school it took
a lot of time away from my education I
want to also address the comments that
maybe I am unsafe no I’m not I use the
public restroom the men’s public
restroom in every public space in
Gloucester County and others I have
never once had any sort of confrontation
of any kind no student at the school has
ever confronted me in the restroom no
and no adult in any venue has ever had a
problem with me exercising my right to
use the restroom I cannot use the
women’s room quite frankly because I’m
not a girl I understand that it might be
hard for some of you to look past
biology and XY or XX but we do know
scientifically that this is not a choice
all I want to do is be a normal child
and use the restroom in peace and I have
had no problem from students to do that
only from adults the adults are the only
people who have been trying to restrict
my rights I’ve had immense support from
the school board I have had immense
support from friends and people I do not
no in the school no one has given me any
problems and I have been I have never
been happier exercising my right to be
Who I am I did not ask to be this way
and it’s one of the most difficult
difficult things anyone can face if your
child had cancer you’d do everything you
could to cut that lump out of them
you’d save their life you’d bet them
live a happy life I you don’t choose to
have cancer much like I didn’t choose to
be born transgender
this is bullying I’ve seen comments from
adults not even to students adults
talking about something that they
largely have no idea about I’ve seen
teachers that I’ve had people that I’ve
looked up to and respected publicly
denounced me they this could be your
child this could be your child your
sister your brother your niece your
nephew I am NOT the only transgender
student in Gloucester County and I
deserve the rights of every other human
being I’m just a human I am just a boy
please consider my rights when you make
your decision thank you very much thank
Our world isn’t a world cast in black and white or shades of gray. Instead, it is a world of different colors of the rainbow.
We should accept people based on their gender and gender identity, not because we are polite, but because everyone deserves their own place in this world.
And for Gavin Grimm, all he wants is to be left alone in his privacy when he uses the bathroom. After all, he is just a boy like everyone else.
