Roger Wilder
Governor Jeff Landry has signed what has been called the bathroom bill. The legislation prohibits a transgender individual from using a bathroom or locker room at a school that does not match their biological sex. Denham Springs Representative Roger Wilder says his legislation is designed to protect females, especially young girls.
“A ten-year-old little girl who goes into a bathroom stall and locks that door, she needs to know that it’s safe, she doesn’t need to be confused when she opens the door and goes woah, uh-oh,” Wilder said.
Director of the Louisiana Trans Advocates, Peyton Rose Michelle, says this law will only create more fear in the transgender community about bathrooms.
But Wilder says women should not have to worry about a biological man, who is now a transgender woman entering a bathroom.
“No women’s right to privacy should be contingent upon somebody’s belief about their danger,” Wilder said.
The legislation also extends to bathrooms and sleeping areas at prisons and domestic violence shelters. It passed in the Houston on an 80-17 vote and in the Senate the vote was 29 to 10 in favor. Wilder says there was strong support for this measure.
“So we have some strong numbers that support the need for guidance and guidelines,” Wilder said.
After signing the bill, Governor Landry said in a statement that he’s proud to sign House Bill 608 which protects women’s safety and reinforces the very definition of what it means to be a woman.
Comments