The state that brought you the the papers please law
for its handling of the immigration
debate is now targeting transgender
individuals in the public restrooms they
choose to use arizona state
representative john kavanagh wants to
pass a law which would punish people
using gender designated public bathrooms
lockers are dressing rooms but don't
match the gender on their birth
certificate. On wednesday the house postponed a hearing on the bill until
sometime next week.
Joining me now is mason davis executive
director of the Transgender Law Center
Okay this is quite an issue here of
Mason, we have authorities whocould charge
violators with a class one misdemeanor
that's punishable by like twenty five
hundred dollars in a fine, six months in
jail, you have a local tv station there
dubbing this the show me your papers
before you go potty bill
and there's one lawmaker who's openly
gay said this would criminalize the very
nature of being transgender.
How did this start?
Well I mean this bill would undermine
the basic human dignity of transgender
people
and anybody who doesn't fit narrow
gender stereotypes. It really is
meant to target transgender people as a reaction 
to a non-discrimination ordnance that was passed in phoenix just a few weeks ago.
It is incredibly damaging
for transgender people
and and a lot of other folks we
anticipate.  It doesn't recognize the fact
that many transgender people are
part of america's fabric. We are 
participating in the economy in
arizona around and we deserve to be able
to
use the facilities that we
need
it also doesn't
recognize the basic realities of transgender lives.
I myself am a transgender man. That means i was born female
they grew up as a girl and later in life
transitioned and have now lived as a
man for most of my life.
For most of your viewers I'm guessing
it's pretty clear what restroom I
should use.  And it is
just common sense
but yet  this bill would
make it a criminal act for me to
actually use the men's room and and I
could end up in prison for six months
and yet its would be very disruptive for
me to use the women's room. 
Alex what restroom would you like to see me in? Alex:  I wanna see you in the men's room for sure!
I mean that's just the way it is!
I understand a lot of this is just based
on your birth certificate designation
that is a hard thing to change is there
any talk of of now making sort of
at birth destination we would that help
things
well you you're right it is
challenging to change the birth certificate
for  many transgender people
I myself still have an f for female
designation on my birth certificate.
And that's not a document we typically
carry around or think about a lot right?
We usually use our drivers licenses,
are our passports, social security cards - 
much more often.
Aand there's not a consistent way
to change somebody's birth certificate
across the state so this is a really
challenging
burden for anybody
but I think there's a bigger issue here
where if this law if passed would
really encourage policing of everyone in
the bathroom
and I'm usually able to use the restroom
always able to use the restroom without
incident that nobody notices me
but it's gender non-conforming people
like the soccer mom in sweatpants and a
baseball cap
who are most likely be targeted by this
bill if passed and harassed because
somehow they're not as feminine as
Angelina Jolie - or the guys aren't as
masculine is Clint Eastwood. It's
really damaging in general for Arizona.
well unfortunately  as I  give you a thanks
Mason for joining me i just wanna drop a
quick map and show you that that you're
not alone out there these issues in the
states and cities including Phoenix i'm
just last month a passed an
anti-discrimination law
that include the protection transgender
officials so
it's gonna be a conversation we'll have
ongoing. Thank you Masen for joining me.
Thank you!
