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It's Not About the Restrooms
Abstract: Gender identity wars in Gainesville, Florida.
On January 28, 2008 the ciy council of Gainesville, Florida approved an ordinance to prevent discrimination on grounds of gender identity.
On August 6 the Catholic News Agency (CNA) reports that a coalition of businesses and individuals (Citizens for Good Public Policy (CGPP)) has gathered enough signatures to put a measure on the March, 2009 ballot that would remove gender identity from Gainesville's anti-discrimination policies. If passed, the March ballot measure would prevent the city of Gainesville from enacting any anti-discrimination policy that is "based upon a classification, characteristic or orientation not recognized by the Florida Civil Rights Act."
CGPP statements on the issue inevitably appeal to public restroom anxiety: This ordinance, among other things, allows a male with an "inner sense of being" female to enter most publicly accessible female restrooms in Gainesville with full legal protection (churches and government offices are exempt).
CGPP receives legal assistance from the Thomas More Law Center ("The Sword and Shield for People of Faith") based in Ann Arbor Michigan. Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, apparently believes that gender identity is a hoax of some kind:
The concept of 'gender identity' was fashioned by radical homosexual groups and advocates to protect the bizarre sexual behavior of a few people. In practical effect, these types of ordinances end up being used to intimidate and prosecute Christians and anyone else who raises objections to this form of deviant behavior.
It may be that Mr. Thompson has no direct experience of people with different gender identities. If lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex friends are not an option, we'd recommend a short primer like What Are You: Male, Merm, Herm, Ferm or Female? by William O. Beeman.
