The first thing I would like to say is that one of the arguments against transgender and homosexuality is that "it's not natural." Actually, it couldn't be more natural. More than 450 animals display homosexual traits, and amphibians, fish, and even some reptiles can either completely change their gender or have both male and female sex organs. This tells me that it is not only natural, but something that God created. After all, I have never read about animals being corrupted by the original sin.
I did a lot of research today and found some interesting information regarding transgender people.
Transgender is not a disease, and it is not a choice. They feel a physiological and psychological identity to being the opposite sex. It is not something that can be cured.
Think about this for a minute. Why would someone choose to be transgender (or homosexual) willingly? They are opening themselves up for, at the very least, discrimination, bullying, harassment, and intimidation. At the worst, threats, beatings, and homicide. Because of the discrimination, they have a hard time getting jobs, and are more likely to live in poverty. Life can be lonely if they have no one in their lives that support them. Depression and anxiety is very common, and unfortunately, so is suicide. Would you choose to live your life this way?? I'm sure I'm just touching the tip of the iceburg here, and can't conceive of what they have to go through.
Transgender women have the option of taking hormones, if they can afford it. These hormones softens the skin, redistributes fat to where women have it, making them appear curvier and some body hair slows or stops growing. They wear dresses, have breasts or the appearance of breasts, wear women's clothing, feminine hairstyles, and make-up. Looking at them, it would be hard to tell that they are transgender.
Transgender men can also take hormones if they can afford it. Their hormones would cause their voices to lower, an increase in the growth of body hair, redistribution of fat to where men usually have it, and may stop menstruation. Again, looking at them, it would be hard to tell the difference.
The conclusion is that they pass as the gender they identify with. If they have access to the healthcare that they require, they can not only take hormones, but have plastic surgery or even have a sex change operation (transsexual.) Let me repeat...THEY. CAN. PASS.
Society makes them jump through hoops to have documentation to show that they are transgender. If a transsexual has a sex change operation, they have to jump through a lot of hoops to have their birth certificates changed. That they are identified as being the gender they are born with vs. the gender they identify with can causes a lot of problems with getting jobs and probably anything else that requires I.D.
Now let's talk statistics. In 2013, there were 31 hate crime attacks against transgender people. In 2014, this increased by three times to 98 attacks. Again, in 2013, 72% of hate crime homicides were transgender women. Transgender people (women in particular) are 3.7% more likely to experience police brutality. Transwomen are also 1.8 times likely to suffer a sexual assault. These statistics go up for a minority transgender person. I'm sure this number has the potential to go up now that these discrimination laws have been passed. I'm also sure that transgender hate crimes are often not reported, and this number is at the low end of the spectrum.
Their sexual preferences are the same as ours. They can be heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. Though I hate pegging them with a particular sexual identity, if you think about it logically, a transgender woman was at one time a male who identified as a woman. It would make sense that as a transgender woman, "heterosexual" would be that they are more attracted to men. Likewise for transgender men.
Now it's time for the extreme problem with transgender using public bathrooms.
My first comment would ask "Are public bathrooms really all that safe?" Sex offenders still have access to public bathrooms. They can install potty cams, or they can just walk in. There is no guard at the doors. No machine that scans for penises or vaginas.
In fact, is there really a safe place in public for our children when it comes to pedofiles? They are everywhere, just waiting for their chance to strike. It's not to safe for them at home either, since sexual assaults on children are, statistically speaking, more likely committed by someone in their family or who is close to the family, or the child. I think it's laughable to think that a male pedofile is going to dress up as a woman just to get to children. They are going to look like men dressing up as women. This isn't Hollywood here. And if you think about Mrs. Doubtfire, even Robin Williams' character needed prosthetics to pull off being Mrs. Doubtfire. They may get a five o'clock shadow, have a beer belly, or maybe it's the fact that they have no curves. Transgender women LOOK like women. Transgender men LOOK like men.
Another thing that concerns me is what happens to transgender women who are forced to use men's bathrooms? They are dressed and look like women. Do you think they're going to get out of there unscathed? The chance of violence occurring in this scenario is higher with transgender women than with children.
Up until North Carolina and Mississippi, transgender people were using public restrooms with the gender they associated with. In fact the only thing that is different now is that there is a likelihood that more hate crimes will be committed, if they are caught.
So what exactly happens when a transgender person uses the bathroom of their preference? Absolutely nothing. They just want to use the facilities. I can't state this for sure, but I would think that transgender people DREAD going into public restrooms. Hell, even I have a problem using them.
In conclusion, there is no problem with transgender people using whatever bathroom that they want. The only thing it shows is how brutally ignorant people are regarding people who don't live the same lifestyles as they do. It shows hate. It shows judgment, often in the name of a God that explicitly tells us to not judge people and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. It shows our ignorance. It shows that people want to remain ignorant instead of trying to understand where transgender people come from. It shows that it's okay to discriminate against people. And it also shows that we will hide our discrimination and hate under the umbrella that we are protecting our children from "pedofiles."
What a sad commentary on the state of humanity, especially in this country.
