Man abuses trans rules to strip in woman’s bathroom
The first case of a man using new laws that allow trans people to use the bathroom associated with their gender identity, has been reported in Washington.
Seattle Parks and Recreation department have said they are trying to figure out how to proceed after the man used the rules to walk into the woman’s locker room and began to strip.
Witnesses said there was nothing to suggest the man was transgender or identified as female, and when approached by staff he said the law was on his side.
“The law has changed and I have a right to be here,” the man is reported to have said.
The same man is reported to have returned several hours later when young girls were changing for swim practice.
Seattle Parks and Recreation confirmed the police had not been called and no one was arrested, but they were considering ways to deal with such issues.
David Takami, a spokesman for the department, said there was no specific policy in place to verify a person’s gender identity and employees should use their own judgement calls.
The new law that allows trans people to use facilities based on their gender identity were introduced last year by the state’s Human Rights Commission (HRC).
At the time a number of opponents claimed the rules would make it easier for voyagers and make people uncomfortable.
Earlier this month, a Republican lawmaker proposed that girls should ‘flash their vaginas’ in a new bill that would overturn the HRC’s decision.
Indiana also proposed a bizarre bill that would require people to take a chromosome test to use a bathroom and could see people charged up to $5,000.
