I-Search Part 3

Transgender Bathroom Rights: The front lines of discrimination today

ADVANCED EXPOSITORY ISEARCH

PART THREE

"American Experience." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, n.d. Web. 27

May 2017.

This article was a thorough introduction to the Jim Crow laws. I was aware of
racial segregation and knew about the struggles of Rosa Parks and other influential
African Americans. What I didnt know was that the segregation was not just physical:
schools, buses, water fountains but it was also emotional. At that time the clergy,
doctors, and academics were all using various means to justify their treatment of black
people. From name calling to violence, to be a black person during these times was to
have no civil right and no legal rights.

"Depression and High School Students: Answers to Student's Frequently

Asked Questions About Depression." PsycEXTRA Dataset (n.d.): n. pag.
Web.

I came across this article, and it was transgender students reactions to how they
have been treated. It talked a lot about the impact this has on them and how damaging it
has been.

E Feldman, NECI student direct quote 1; E Feldman 2

I interviewed E to know what it feels like to be transgender and in the middle of

this debate. I chose questions that were probing but also respectful. I enjoyed listening
to what he had to say, and I was moved that he wanted to talk to me. I felt that it was
important to get a firsthand account of what its like to be in the middle of something so
public in the media. E impressed me with his kindness to everyone, and I felt that he
had gone through a lot but come out the other side a very strong person.

Glum, Julia. "Transgender Youth Feel Uncomfortable and Avoid Using Bathrooms at
School, Report Says." Newsweek. N.p., 17 Apr. 2017. Web. 27 May 2017
This was the first article I came across when I was doing my research. We often
have the magazine in the house, so it was a name that I knew. I found it quite
compelling in that it states right away if transgender students dont feel safe going to the
bathroom then they dont feel safe at school. This statement hit home to me, as I had not
put the two together until I read this.

Green, Emma. "Half of Americans Don't Think Transgender People Should

Be Able to Pick Their Bathroom." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 28
Sept. 2016. Web. 27 May 2017.

Things are beginning to change. Public opinion has moved in the last two years to
more people supporting a transgender persons right to use the restroom of their choice,
but there is still a long way to go.

Grinberg, Emanuella, and Dani Stewart. "3 Myths in the Transgender

Bathroom Debate."CNN. Cable News Network, 07 Mar. 2017. Web. 27 May
2017.

This article is especially interesting to me. It talked about the myths surrounding
the transgender bathroom debate and then spoke of the facts. I liked the way it broke
everything down, gave both sides and then told the real story.

"I Am Not Sure When Transgender Turned Into Pedophile: A Reader

Writes an Open Letter to the Community." Redheaded Blackbelt. N.p., n.d.
Web. 27 May 2017

I didnt need this article to tell me what I already knew. Transgender people are
not pedophiles. I just wanted a text to back up what I was saying. The fact that the
Christian right is saying they are frightened that transgender men are potential threats
to children in public bathrooms is based on nothing but ignorance and fear. I could not
find one article to support these claims. The only articles I found about violence and
abuse were towards transgender people themselves.

Image: Google Images

This was my favorite of all the images used to bring some humor to this debate
because, at the end of the day, we all need to pee!

Laing, Lorenzo. "Don't Clap Just Yet for the Boy Scouts." American Civil
Liberties Union. American Civil Liberties Union, 20 Aug. 2015. Web. 27 May
2017

My Mom would not let my brother join the boy scouts when she found out that
they would not let gay men be troop leaders. Out of solidarity for our gay friends she
took a stand on principle. I remembered her talking about this, so I looked for
information and found that the policy has since changed. However, the article notes that
its not quite that simple. We still have a long way to go with gay rights also not
pedophiles as some people like to link the two. It was for this reason that I included
this research in my paper.

Pearson, Michael. "LGBT Rights: The National Battle of the Bathroom."

CNN. Cable News Network, 23 Aug. 2016. Web. 27 May 2017.

This was actually a really positive article that showed the number of states
(currently 18) that support transgender rights to bathroom access of their choice. It
gives me hope that things are moving in the right direction.

Peters, Jeremy W., Jo Becker, and Julie Hirschfeld Davis. "Trump Rescinds
Rules on Bathrooms for Transgender Students." The New York Times. The
New York Times, 22 Feb. 2017. Web. 27 May 2017.

This article was interesting to me as it got me thinking about the changes I had
seen in my lifetime that were important, gay marriage is one of them. The fact that we
had to wait until 2016 for that is another debate, but I was pleased when gay marriage
became legal. President Obama also took steps to protect transgender students rights
during his administration. In early February 2017, President Trump rescinded on this.
Its not clear to me now what he hopes to gain. It seems to me that we are now going
backward and not forwards with the new administration. Many Republicans were
against Trump doing this, and many Americans, in general, are upset by his decision.

"Transgender Students and School Bathrooms." Gender Spectrum. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 27 May 2017.

This was an interesting piece as it gave me facts and figures of what the damaging
effect of being discriminated against. It was heartbreaking to read that so many
transgender students struggle and, what makes it worse is that most people are probably
not aware of what they go through. Its almost a silent struggle as a lot of transgender
students are just trying to live their lives as we all do. What makes it so hard for them
are obstacles such as bathroom laws that prevent them from doing that.

" What Was Jim Crow." Jim Crow Museum: Origins of Jim Crow. N.p., n.d.
Web. 27 May 2017.

This article went into more detail that the PBS one. As I mentioned above my
knowledge was limited, and this was an eye-opener to me.