Real Issues Facing the Transgender Community

Anti-transgender Legislation

“All licensed professionals who have direct contact with children who may be subject to such abuse [hormone replacement therapy and/or taking puberty-suppressing drugs], including doctors, nurses, and teachers, and provides criminal penalties for failure to report such child abuse.”- Governor Greg Abbott
"Kansas House Bill 2210 and Missouri House Bill 33 would make it a crime for doctors to perform any gender-reassignment services, procedures, or surgeries for transgender children under 18, which includes puberty blockers and hormone therapy." -Sarah Plake, 41 KSHB

In the past year twenty states have introduced legislation that would make it a felony for medical care providers to provide gender-affirming care to minors (even with parental consent). Preventing minors from receiving gender-affirming care often times causes harm to their mental and physical well-being.

Image of the 50 states in gray. 19 of them are blue due to denote that they have introduced legislation this session that would prevent minors from receiving gender-affirming treatment. 1 is orange to denote that they have passed legislation and it is slated to go into effect. The only orange state is Arkansas

Image is of a bar graph that shows how the number of anti-transgender bills introduced in state legislature since 2015. In 2015 there were 16 bills introduced that would ban transgender individuals from utilizing the bathroom/locker room they would identify with. In 2021 there were 58 bills introduced that would ban transgender individuals from utilizing the bathroom/locker room they would identify with, and 29 bills introduced that would ban/restrict transgender medical care.

source: Human Rights Campaign

Transgender Individuals in the World of Sports

Anti-transgender legislation in the medical field is not the only form of anti-transgender news circling at the moment. Recently, a new bill in Missouri (SB 781) has been proposed that would restrict transgender athletes. This new bill would affect all children from elementary school level to high school.

" [It's] really trying to pit children against other children and devalue the lives of transgender youths across the state, across our country," said Shira Berkowitz with PROMO

Screen Recording 2022-03-18 at 8.43.02 AM.mov

source: KMOV4

'Kai Shappley: A Trans Girl Growing up in Texas'

Kai Shappley is an 8-year-old (now 11 years old) transgender girl. In 2018 her story as a transgender girl in the state of Texas came to light as she shared what it's like to not be able to use the restroom of the gender that she identifies as.

Kai Shappley-Bathroom 2.mov

source: Kai Shappley Documentary

KU Gender Inclusive Bathroom Map

Below is a map of all the gender-inclusive bathrooms on the KU Lawrence Campus. Although from a distance it seems like there are a lot, please zoom in and take notice how many buildings there isn't one in-- including the entire West Campus.

The Lied Center (left side of map; Point A) is one of the buildings without it. Please check out the map again to visually see where the closest gender-inclusive bathroom is.

As you can see, the closest one is in Nunemaker Center (Point B) which is over half a mile from the Lied Center. That is over a mile round-trip for Trans people to use a restroom that is inclusive.
Fall graduation is in the Lied Center. Please take time to reflect and put yourself in the shoes of a Trans person that needs to access a restroom. On graduation day, you would check-in at least an hour early, wait the hour in Lied, and go through the whole ceremony. During this 2-3 hour duration, you would have to walk at least a mile (round trip) just to use a restroom. This can be especially hard for Trans people who have disabilities of which may have an impact on mobility.

Joseph R. Pearson Hall (upper side of campus; Point A) is the home to the school of education and is another building without a gender-inclusive restroom. Please look at the map again to visually see where the closest inclusive restroom is located, which is Ritchie Hall (Point B).

These buildings are a little over 0.3 miles away, or an 8 minute walk (one way; plus time to find the restroom in the building). Like the graduation scenario, reflect on what it would be like to be a Trans student taking a class in Pearson Hall and having to use the restroom. Is it reasonable to walk about 20 minutes (round trip) to go between or during class?

Reflection questions:

If you were a parent of a transgender child and were notified that your transgender child would not be able to play on an elementary level sports team because of their gender identity, how would you react?
Put yourself in Kai Shappley's shoes. You've experienced the struggles of not being able to use the bathroom that aligns with your gender identity for your whole life and now you're heading off to college. How easy would it be for you to find a gender inclusive restroom on KU's campus?

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