Denver Post Supports Right of Trans Coloradans To Use Restroom
Last Friday the Colorado Civil Rights Commission held a hearing to examine the scope and how to implement a bill the legislature passed last year which extends nondiscrimination protections for trans folk in regards to public accommodation.
Today the Denver Post editorial board issued an editorial supporting protection for trans Coloradans:
It’s difficult for the average person to understand the personal pain experienced by transgender people who are just trying to get along. We think the Colorado Civil Rights Commission is going in the right direction in its efforts to write rules extending non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation.
The editorial continues,
“All this does is allow people of different gender expressions to use the bathroom,” said Bruce DeBoskey, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. “It doesn’t protect criminal behavior.”
Some who are opposed to the rules have argued that they’ll be used as a loophole of sorts, allowing perverts or pedophiles to enter opposite-sex bathrooms.
We think that’s a stretch. Bad actors already can impersonate others or sneak into restrooms or locker rooms without permission, and there are laws to deal with them if they do.
The slim chance that someone might try to claim to be transgender to justify peeping into a public accommodation where they shouldn’t be is not reason to deny transgender people basic rights.
via former Denverite Andy Bosselman’s Twitter stream
