Friends and fellow Kossacks,
Today I have authored an op-ed piece and submitted it for consideration for publication to the Raleigh News & Observer. I do hope they will publish it, and, if they do, I will be sure to update this Diary with links to the article.
In order not to interrupt the thought process that went into the op-ed, all links will appear at the bottom, for your reference, and note that these are NOT provided in the op-ed piece, as there is no way to do that in a newspaper’s op-ed section. But it is where I reference my facts.
Below, then, is the op-ed piece:
I saw Dan Bishop’s interview with Chuck Todd of MSNBC, and it was a total shuck and jive, beginning to end – like the dog and pony show we witnessed on March 23 in Raleigh. Before the public comments time we were informed the timeline for the bill; that they intended to pass it though the House by 12:45PM. This means their minds were already made up before the bill was debated, and before any public comments were made, pro or con. Otto von Bismarck once said, “Those who like laws and sausages should watch neither being made.” After witnessing the North Carolina General Assembly in action last Wednesday, I am forced to agree with Otto.
This is part of a coordinated nationwide attack against transgender people that comes directly from the national Republican Party, who passed a resolution just last month. They are upset about losing same-sex marriage and this is payback for Obergefell vs. Hodges, in my opinion. They knew what they were doing and why.
As I testified on Wednesday, I dropped out of college in 1998, over this very issue. I was forced to choose between higher education and my own safety. As a result of this new law, thousands of transgender North Carolinians will have to make the same horrible choice I made back then.
The stated purpose of HB2, according to Rep. Bishop and other supporters, was that people should not have to share a restroom with people who make them feel uncomfortable. Rep. Bishop went on to assert this bill protects transgender people. If that is so, then why don’t transgender people feel protected? Why are my transgender brothers and sisters required by law to share a restroom with people who make THEM uncomfortable? Why are they required by law to place themselves in direct, immediate physical peril?
I guess in Dan Bishop’s world, transfolk like me are not people. This would be in keeping with Republican ideology – in GOPWorld, if you are not white, male, heterosexual and “Christian” you do not count – you do not matter.
Dan Bishop assures us that post-op transsexuals like me - can have our birth certificates changed. However, seventy-four percent of post-op transsexuals have not yet had their birth certificates changed, for various reasons. I must have been prescient, because two months ago, thirteen YEARS after my surgery, I finally began the process to get my Illinois birth certificate changed – and I got the documents two weeks ago.
Fortunately for me, I was not born in Tennessee, Ohio, or Idaho –those states will not change or amend a birth certificate even after one has completed sex-reassignment surgery. I am betting none of our legislators knew this.
When legislators start making laws about things they do not understand there are “unintended consequences” and people are hurt. Although, I must say – in this case - I believe that transgender people (such as myself) being hurt, accosted, assaulted, attacked and even murdered was NOT unintended by our Legislature. It is a feature of the law, not a bug. So much for the state’s obligation to see to the general well-being of ALL of its citizens!
Who said government couldn’t work fast? They proved us wrong there! And you know the government only works fast when they know they are up to no good! And by the way, exactly WHO totes their birth certificate around in their purse or wallet? I surely don’t! According to the law, I have every legal right to be in the ladies’ room - yet I have now an undue burden placed upon me to prove my legal right to be there, because nobody actually carries their birth certificate on their person.
By the way, what happens to me if I am accosted in a restroom, and challenged to prove my legal right to be there? Only a birth certificate will suffice, and nobody caries that on their person. Am I hauled downtown, guilty until proven innocent? Am I forced to show my private parts to a cop?
I invite so-called Christians everywhere who supported this hateful legislation to re-read Matthew 25:10 –“That which you do to the least amongst you, so also you do unto Me.” I invite them to ask themselves one question: Who Would Jesus Discriminate Against? If your answer is not “nobody” then you are not a Christian, no matter what you claim.
Links:
Article Concerning National GOP Strategy
The Actual GOP Resolution — pay special attention to the last paragraph
Here is the actual video of Rep. Dan Bishop on MSNBC with Chuck Todd that prompted this op-ed piece: