Calif. governor signs transgender-student bill
Source: AP
California on Monday became the first state to enshrine certain rights for transgender K-12 students in state law, requiring public schools to allow those students access to whichever restroom and locker room they want.
Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he had signed AB1266, which also will allow transgender students to choose whether they want to play boys' or girls' sports. The new law gives students the right "to participate in sex-segregated programs, activities and facilities" based on their self-perception and regardless of their birth gender.
Supporters said it will help reduce bullying and discrimination against transgender students. It comes as the families of transgender students have been waging local battles with school districts across the country over what restrooms and locker rooms their children can use, disagreements that have sometimes landed in court.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights and the ACLU of California were among the bill's supporters. Detractors, including some Republican lawmakers, said allowing students of one gender to use facilities intended for the other could invade the other students' privacy.
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/calif-governor-signs-transgender-student-bill
Last Wednesday, the call-in Forum show on KQED public radio in San Francisco had a debate about this issue. The guest from the right wing Pacific Justice Institute had the typical restroom and sports talking points. The guest from the Transgender Law Center (I think that guest) clarified that students won't be able to fake a transgender status just to compete in the opposite gender sports team.
= new reply since forum marked as read
