Ohio Senate passes controversial transgender bathroom bill – The Cauldron
Photo Credit: Ted Eytan
The Ohio Senate passed a bill on Wednesday, Nov. 13 that would require students in K-12 schools, colleges and universities to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their assigned sex at birth.
Having passed through the chamber 24-7, Senate Bill 104 would essentially block transgender students in the state from using the facilities that align with their identities. Such facilities are to be “for the exclusive use” of either males or females and no “multi-occupancy facility that is designated as nongendered, multigendered, or open to all genders” is allowed.
The bill has now been sent to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who can either veto or approve it.
The Discourse
Supporters of the bill insist that it will protect students in bathrooms and locker rooms.
“It protects our children and grandchildren in private spaces where they are most vulnerable,” Republican State Senator Jerry C. Cirino, the bill’s primary sponsor, said just before the bill’s passage. “It is us using our legislative authority to ensure schools are, in fact, safe environments. After all, bathrooms, showers, changing rooms should all be safe places for our students.”
However, there is no actual evidence that letting transgender people use their preferred bathroom increases safety risks. Instead, bills like these tend to backfire, actually increasing violence as opposed to decreasing it.
A study done by the Harvard School of Public Health reported that 36% of transgender and nonbinary students have been sexually assaulted under a bathroom/locker room restriction bill. Transgender people are also over four times more likely to be the target of a violent crime compared to cisgender people.
Because of this, allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community urge DeWine to veto the anti-transgender bill.
The American Civil Liberties Union, an organization dedicated to protecting human rights nationwide, is a vocal opponent of the bill.
“Senate Bill 104 is a cruel invasion of students’ rights to privacy,” said Jocelyn Rosnick, Policy Director of ACLU Ohio. “Which could result in unwarranted governmental disclosures of private, personal information. If allowed to go into effect, SB 104 will create unsafe environments for trans and gender non-conforming individuals of all ages. This bill ignores the material reality that transgender people endure higher rates of sexual violence and assaults, particularly while using public restrooms, than people who are not transgender. All Ohioans deserve to access the facilities they need, in alignment with their gender identity, without fear of harassment or bullying.”
The common consensus among those opposed is that the bill will result in an increase of violence, harassment and abuse against transgender students in school, putting an already targeted demographic into more danger.
What’s next?
The bill now goes to DeWine, who has previously expressed his support for the legislation.
“As it stands now, I would sign the bill,” DeWine told reporters at a news conference earlier this year.
However, in December 2023, DeWine vetoed a different bill, House Bill 68, that would have prohibited transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care.
“These are gut-wrenching decisions that should be made by parents and should be informed by teams of doctors who are advising them,” said DeWine about his decision. “These are parents who have watched their children suffer for years, and have real concerns their children would not survive without it… Families are basing their decisions on the best medical advice they can get.”
Because of the two seemingly contradictory viewpoints, it’s unclear whether he will actually sign the bill.