June 11th 2024.
Using the wrong bathroom can be a terrifying and dangerous experience for trans individuals. It puts us at a higher risk for assault and harassment in public spaces. This was unfortunately illustrated when Cobalt Sovereign, a 17-year-old trans girl, was physically assaulted and called a homophobic slur when she used the men's bathroom at her high school in Minnesota. The incident resulted in a shattered tooth and serious trauma for Cobalt, who had to undergo multiple surgeries to repair her jaw.
It's not surprising that this happened, as it's something that trans people and our allies have been warning against for a long time. Using the wrong bathroom can make a simple task like using a public restroom a risky and uncomfortable experience for us. Cobalt, who has been using women's spaces since she came out as trans, bravely shared her story and how she has always feared situations like this.
As an adult, I am seen and perceived as a woman in society, and using the men's bathroom would not only cause confusion and discomfort for everyone, but it would also out me as trans to people who may not know otherwise. I refuse to be forced to conform to patriarchal and harmful standards about gender and sex in order to use a public bathroom. I know who I am, and I deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Unfortunately, this recent moral panic about bathrooms and single-sex spaces completely ignores the lived experiences of trans people. It's not a new concept for trans individuals to use spaces that align with their gender identity, and many have been doing so without issue for decades. This fear-mongering about trans people "pretending" to be a different gender in order to harm others is unfounded and only serves to further exclude and harm the trans community.
In fact, studies have shown that trans-inclusive policies have no link to bathroom safety risks. And yet, trans individuals are twice as likely to be victims of crime compared to cisgender individuals. This obsession with excluding trans people from public spaces is not based on reality or logic. It is simply transphobia disguised as concern for women and girls.
But trans people are not going anywhere. We have always been a part of society and we always will be. No amount of intimidation, exclusion, or violence will change that. We will continue to live our lives authentically and demand the same rights and respect as everyone else. Hatred and division will never win in the end.
Cobalt's story is a reminder that trans individuals deserve to feel safe and comfortable in all spaces, including public restrooms. We must stop falling for the false narrative that trans inclusion is a threat to others. It's time to end this obsession with excluding and harming trans people, and instead, work towards creating a society where everyone can live and use public spaces without fear or discrimination.
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