KANSAS — A Care2 petition with over 22,000 signatures is demanding the Kansas legislature reject two bills that would penalize transgender students for using a bathroom that does not correspond with their physical anatomy.
The “Student Physical Privacy Act” would allow public school and university students who believe the law isn’t being enforced to sue their schools for $2,500.
Care2 petition author Sarah Rose says the law would make transgender students targets of discrimination and victims of hunts to publicly “out” them, and would lead to invasions of student privacy.
“Transgender students should not have to fear going to the bathroom because of their physical anatomy,” writes Rose, who is also Care2’s Social Media Associate and Queer Issues Advocate. “The Kansas General Assembly should be promoting tolerance and understanding for trans youth – not making their difficult journey harder by legislating discrimination into law.”
Rep. Stephanie Clayton, a Republican, told the Kansas City Star she believed the issue was raised to distract the public from the state’s financial issues, calling the bills an indication of a “distinct lack of focus.”
“Being young and transgender is hard enough,” Rose said. “Kansas should be standing up for their trans youth, not alienating them with witch hunts.”
View the petition here.
