What Bathroom Should Transgender Students Use?

By: Kylie Wallace

Andraya Williams, a female, transgender, freshman at Central Piedmont, was escorted off campus and told not to come back after using the women’s restroom on her way to class.[2] Students at Central Piedmont organized a rally in her, and all LGBT students defense to raise awareness about the treatment of LGBT students on campuses around the United States.[1]

A campus officer requested her identification as she was leaving the restroom and called for backup after questioning her gender.[2] After six officers arrived, they concluded she was a male and escorted her off school grounds.[2] Andraya feels as though she should get a formal apology because she feels like she is no longer protected by the staff and people can creel discriminate now.[2] As far as the schools standpoint, they told her that until she had medical documentation proving that she is in fact female, she has to use gender neutral bathroom.[2] Andraya, not feeling comfortable on campus now, is trying to get more laws protecting transgender students and equality training for faculty and staff.[2]

  I believe that it’s every persons right to choose their gender and be who that want to be and that’s no ones business. However, I agree with some aspects of the schools arguments. I do think that some medical proof might be a helpful tool in preventing this from happening and putting some sort of indication on their student ID to differentiate would make this less of a problem.

This issue is one of the many problems were having in todays society. People are having a hard time opening their minds to the LGBT community. I don’t think people understand that it’s really no ones business what a person chooses to be or how they choose to be if it doesn’t effect them in any way. Even if it does effect them, it doesn’t cause any harm. If they feel like they don’t want their children exposed, then don’t expose them. Although these topics are controversial, everyone has basic rights and telling people that it’s ok to discriminate is just not ok. 

You could even take this issue to the next level and make all bathrooms neutral gender just so that their are no discrepancies that involve gender as far as which bathroom to use. I’d like to stay on the bathroom topic however, I am aware that there are other controversies as far as transgender people including changing rooms, locker rooms, and getting service. 

1. Shakir, Sulton. "HRC Blog." Human Rights Campaign. N.p., 04 Apr. 2014. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.

2. Hensley, Nicole. "Female Transgender Student Suspended for Using Women's Bathroom ." NY Daily News. N.p., 04 Apr. 2014.    Web. 08 Apr. 2014.