US: California organisation claims to have enough signatures to ballot trans bathroom rights law
A California organisation attempting to repeal an act allowing transgender students equal access to school facilities such as locker rooms and bathrooms now claims it has enough signatures to place the new law back on the ballot.
The bill, known as the School Success and Opportunity Act, was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in August, and is set to take effect from 1 January.
One of the provisions of the law, AB1266, would give transgender students the choice of playing on either a boys or girls sports team and to decide which restrooms and locker rooms to use.
However, opponents of the law said it would violate the “privacy” of cisgender students, and others have also claimed that it could disrupt teaching in the classroom and lead to ‘confusion’ for pupils attending schools.
Frank Schubert, the campaign manager for Privacy For All Students, said his group has now gathered 620,000 signatures allowing it to qualify for a ballot measure so that it can put the act on hold.
He added: “We’re going to be working very closely with elections officials to make sure that every signature that’s valid is counted.”
John O’Connor, the executive director with Equality California, said Mr Schubert’s efforts were an attempt to enforce discriminatory conduct.
He said: “It’s really upsetting. These are kids that just want to fit in, just want to go to school and just want to participate like everyone else.”
