Virginia Governor Greg Youngkin has set out on another culture war issue: the transgender bathroom debate. Governor Youngkin is drafting legislation that would require all students at schools throughout the state to use the bathrooms, locker rooms and other facilities that correspond with students’ biological sex. Governor Youngkin is also seeking for name changes and adoption of pronouns to only be attained through parent permission.
These drafted policies are extremely harmful to the transgender and non-binary youth of Va., creating a hostile environment in schools that are meant to be safe places for all students. This new policy would make it incredibly isolating for the transgender youth of Va., causing them to feel unsafe while trying to express their gender identities publicly.
Transgender teens are four times more likely to commit suicide compared to their straight peers. These policies could lead to an increase in bullying and create uncomfortable social situations for transgender and non-binary students.
Governor Youngkin would be going against current Virginia Laws that protect and defend transgender students’ rights through the Virginia Human Rights Act, which protects individuals from discrimination based on gender identity. The Va. governor drafted policies that contradict legislation passed two years ago that protected trans students’ rights to use their preferred bathroom.
Governor Youngkin’s administration said, “[the legislation] also requires students to use bathrooms that correspond to their biological sex, except to the extent that federal law otherwise requires.” The likelihood of his legislation passing is low, considering that it openly discriminates against transgender and non-binary youth by denying transgender students access to equal resources, which goes against the Humans Rights Act of Virginia.
However, Governor Youngkin is strongly pushing his legislation on campaign stops throughout the state to harbor support for his legislation to be passed, with support from many conservative constituents. Governor Youngkin stated during a rally in Leesburg, Va., “Parents must have a role in their children’s lives and, as these important decisions are made, parents must be informed and included.” This has been a hot stance among conservatives due to more inclusive curriculums being taught in public school districts. Virginian Parents have taken issues like ‘critical race theory’ to court, which adopts a broader and more progressive curriculum. It is only natural that parents want to monitor what their children are learning in school, but trying to protect their children at the cost of the safety of transgender youth is harmful, especially when transgender individuals are four times more likely to experience violence than their cis counterparts.
While there is only an estimated 300,000 trans youth in the U.S., it is important to remember that these are young people that struggle with gender dysphoria (clinical distress one feels in terms of feeling that they were born into the wrong biological sex) and an increased amount of suicidal thoughts.
Transgender and non-binary teenagers deserve to be treated with respect and with equal rights. It is important to remember that these are people’s children who should be protected equally by the nation that claims individual freedom to be so important, though the representatives of transgender youth in Va. are attempting to implement legislature that harms them. Transgender rights are human rights.
