Tennessee sued over new transgender bathroom sign law

[ShazamIam]

Source: Associated Press



NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Friday challenging Tennessee’s first-of-its-kind law that requires businesses and government facilities to post signs if they let transgender people use multiperson public bathrooms of their choice, seeking to block the requirement from taking effect on July 1.
In this Aug. 15, 2019 file photo, Rep. Tim Rudd, R-Murfreesboro, speaks on his bill that would impose new restrictions on groups that hold voter registration drives during a House session in Nashville, Tenn. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Friday, June 25, 2021, challenging Tennessee’s first-of-its-kind law that requires businesses and government facilities to post signs if they let transgender people use multiperson public bathrooms or similar facilities of their choice. Rudd, says the law is not discriminatory and doesn’t limit businesses on which facilities they can let people use. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

The ACLU and its Tennessee chapter brought the lawsuit in Nashville on behalf of Bob Bernstein, owner of Fido restaurant in Nashville; and Kye Sayers, owner of the Sanctuary Performing Arts venue in Chattanooga, which was founded by members of the transgender community; and their corresponding businesses. It names the state fire marshal, state codes enforcement director and two district attorneys as defendants.

With the threat of misdemeanor penalties, the law requires that the following sign be posted in bold, uppercase letters outside public multiperson bathrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms wherever transgender people are not prevented from using the facilities of their choice: “This facility maintains a policy of allowing the use of restrooms by either biological sex, regardless of the designation on the restroom.” It’s one of five new Tennessee laws this year that have drawn backlash from LGBTQ advocates.

The lawsuit argues that the sign requirement infringes on the business owners' First Amendment rights by requiring them to “communicate a misleading and controversial government-mandated message that they would not otherwise display.” The lawsuit says the phrase “either biological sex" is ”offensive to transgender and intersex people because it asserts that transgender people are not the sex they know themselves to be and ignores the existence of intersex people."





Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tennessee-sued-over-new-transgender-bathroom-sign-law/ar-AALs8ih

[littlemissmartypants]

1. Welcome to DU. nt

[ShazamIam]

5. Thank You. I love this place. nt

[littlemissmartypants]

8. Me too. nt

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. Although I am perturbed about the motivation behind it, in practice I have a hard time seeing

this as a 'bad thing'.

If I owned a business, I'd post this with pride:

“This facility maintains a policy of allowing the use of restrooms by either biological sex, regardless of the designation on the restroom.”

And if I were transgender, I'd think I would be happy to see this message that is 100% confirming that I am welcome to use the bathroom I feel is right for me, and telling me I chose a good place to patronize.

So ... I have hard time deciding which side I come down on here.

[Withywindle]

3. It will basically invite transphobic harrassment and violence in those businesses.

"Unintended consequences" that, IMO are not really unintended considering thoroughly hateful the motivations behind this bill are.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

4. Is there anything in the law that requires a business owner to 'declare a policy'?

What if, at my business, I have signs on the Mens* and Ladies* rooms with

*Your Genitalia are, of course, not visually monitored by our establishment

Now ... do I have a 'policy' as described under the law?

I say I do not. Now, lets see the law prove that I do!

I sorta understand the concern you mention, but I see this evil-intentioned thing blowing right the fuck up in their faces.

Clever people will make a complete mockery of this bullshit, if it's allowed to stand.

[ShazamIam]

6. My best hope when that bill was signed was a hope that every major retailer in Tennessee posted it.

Every national food service group fast food or sit down, all corporate owned gasoline stations, etc.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

7. Indeed, another brilliant way to fight the evil!

I mean seriously ... does any business WANT to be in the 'restroom genitalia monitoring business'?

I'm thinking ... fuck no they don't!

Every business should just put up the sign!

What are the dickheads who passed this bill going to do?

Their shitty intentions will be thwarted, one way or another ... mark it!

[monkeyman1]

9. pretty bad when ya have litigation over shit house rites .

ya think they would have more thing's , LIKE MAYBE SOMETHING ," COVID " . nah ,makes to much sense !

[kimbutgar]

10. All the public bathrooms in the SF Bay Area now state all sexes I've haven't see a men or

Women only in stores in a long time.

[ShazamIam]

12. Yes, true, and even out in Tracy where I stop over for espresso at S'bks each trip I make from Santa

Cruz to here and back, (N.E. Sierra forest).

[bucolic_frolic]

11. They should have as much fear of COVID

as they do of some imaginary non-hetero invisible contaminant lurking in a bathroom or a birthday cake

[Scottie Mom]

13. A "solution" (and I say that with sarcasm)...

...looking for a problem to fix.

🙄

[Joinfortmill]

14. Men & women use the same public bathroom in France.

Shocked me the first time I saw a man come out of the stall when I was washing my hands. But, you know what, it's really not that big a deal.