What bathroom should we use? That seemingly irrelevant question has drummed up a lot of political drama as of late. Arizona was looking to pass a law that would make it a criminal offense to use the “wrong” bathroom. A bigoted dipshit attempted to scare everybody into opposing a policy that wouldn’t criminalize “improper” bathroom and locker room use. In Minneapolis the question came up and, thankfully, ended in a relatively sane manner:
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — Minnesota’s high school sports league passed a set of guidelines for transgender student-athletes on Thursday, bringing months of fevered debate to a close.
Dozens of supporters and proponents packed the Minnesota Sports High School League’s boardroom, hoping for one last chance to sway members with signs, buttons and speeches about how the rules would give students a sense of acceptance or could cost them a spot on their high school volleyball team.
The policy, which will take effect next school year, allows transgender athletes to pick the team that fits with their gender identity and provides an appeal process for students whose schools turn down their request.
The new process for establishing eligibility will include written statements from a student’s parents or guardians and health care professionals regarding the student’s “consistent or sincerely held gender-related identity.”
I’m not a fan of begging for permission but at least this is a damn side saner than sending out costume clad men with guns and a liability shield to arrest individuals who fail to use bathrooms in a manner prescribed by a bunch of suit wearing bigots in a marble building. And this decision sticks it to the fucksticks that posted a full page ad full of fear mongering, which is awesome.