Transgenders deserve equal access to locker rooms

By Amaelle Caron

In the last few years, we have heard in the news about transgenderism.

Transgender people are born with a gender but growing up they identify themselves as the opposite sex and go into transition to have their body shaped as the gender by which they identify themselves.

Some people define transgenderism as the third sex.

On Oct.14, the Washington Post published an article about a school in Illinois that wouldn’t allow transgender students in the school locker room for changing and showering. This led to defying a civil rights official.

The American Civil Liberties Union did an investigation on the subject after a transgender high school student identifying as a girl complained about the situation.

The Office of Civil Rights claimed that the school district’s decision was considered as sex discrimination.

John Knight from the ACLU of Illinois said, “Transgender students now are part of everyday American life as society has become more accepting of all kinds of differences.”

I would have to agree with that statement.

Transgender people are part of society today and talking about it is still a very controversial subject, especially in schools.

The law Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in school and protect transgender students from being bullied, harassed, and discriminated.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act that prohibit schools from revealing any kind of information to anyone including one’s gender, also protect the right of transgender.

The First Amendment protects the right of students to free speech and freedom of expression as well, including expression of one’s gender identity.

Today transgender and transsexuals can be found anywhere.

You have probably heard about Caitlyn Jenner (Bruce Jenner before her transition), or Laverne Cox, one of the lead actresses in the TV Show “Orange is the New Black,” who made it to Time’s front cover on May 29, 2014.

More recently, a transgender got the chance to be crowned homecoming queen and made the buzz on the Internet. She was beautiful.

It is heart-warming to see how some people care about the well-being of their peers, even if they are slightly different.

A lot of people do not agree with the life-changing choices that transgenders make, and I think that you don’t have to love everybody.

However, that doesn’t mean that they are not human beings and that they do not deserve respect.

The transgender community actively defends transgender rights. Many transgender students and others are harassed and ridiculed of because they are different.

These people have all my respect because changing your body and lifestyle to be who you truly are is courageous.

It may not be as courageous as the people who give their life to fight for their country, but being who you are and being ready to take all the criticism.

In the world we are living in, it’s proof of strength and determination.

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