A bill in Louisiana has been proposed that would prevent transgender people from using restrooms, locker rooms, and sleeping quarters that correspond with their gender identity in public schools, jails, and domestic violence shelters. LGBTQ+ advocates argue that this bill is among the most expansive and restrictive in the country and would further harm an already vulnerable population, putting them at increased risk of harassment. Proponents of the bill, titled the Women’s Safety Protection Act, claim that it is designed to protect cisgender women and girls from sexual assault and harassment. The bill has advanced out of a state legislative committee and will head to the GOP-dominated House floor for debate.
If approved in the House, the bill would move to the Senate and require public schools to designate restrooms and changing rooms for exclusive use by females, males, or members of the same family. The bill defines female and male based on one’s biological reproductive system rather than gender identity. Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to provide privacy and safety for women and prioritize their needs. However, opponents argue that if the goal is to protect women, it should also extend to protecting transgender women and nonbinary individuals, as the bill could marginalize and discriminate against them.
LGBTQ+ advocates fear that forcing transgender individuals to use facilities that do not align with their gender identity could lead to bullying, intimidation, and sexual assault. Testifying against the bill, a transgender man emphasized the fear and vulnerability that trans kids experience. Louisiana’s proposed bill is part of a larger trend of legislation targeting transgender individuals across the country. At least 155 bills aimed at restricting the rights of transgender people have been introduced this year, according to data from the Human Rights Campaign.
Last year, Louisiana’s GOP-controlled Legislature passed several bills that were criticized as anti-LGBTQ+, but then-Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed them. With a new Republican governor in office, lawmakers are once again considering bills that target the LGBTQ+ community, including a “Don’t Say Gay” bill that restricts discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in schools, and a measure that requires teachers to use the pronouns and names assigned at birth for students. The hostile rhetoric against transgender individuals in statehouses raises concerns about the impact of such legislation on the rights and well-being of this marginalized group.
