Oxford, Alabama: Denying Human Rights
Recently, Oxford, Alabama has passed a law saying that all people must use the bathroom based off the gender on their birth certificate. This creates problems for people who are transgender. What is transgender? According to Oxford Dictionaries, transgender means “denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity does not correspond with the gender assigned to them at birth.” If someone is transgender, they might be forced into using the bathroom that they are not comfortable with, based off others not being comfortable with them.
Oxford‘s police force say that they will be enforcing this law just like any other law. Those who are found to be guilty will be forced to pay $500 and be sentenced to six months in jail. All because they want to use the bathroom of their choice.
The definition of human rights, according to Webster’s Dictionaries is “rights (as freedom from unlawful imprisonments, torture, and execution) regarding as belonging fundamentally to all persons.” Doesn’t this law take away their human rights? People who are transgender are being unlawfully imprisoned based off the gender they want to be. Where does it say that all men and woman must stay men and woman? Who made being transgender wrong?
Jimmy Fallon, a late-night show comedian, made fun of the recently passed law. He says, “This creates problems for people who are transgender and also for people who don’t carry their birth certificates with them when they pee.” I believe that Oxford, Alabama has crossed the line, and are now taking away human rights. I once read a sign from an older woman which read, “It wasn’t about water fountains in 1960’s, and it’s not about bathrooms now. Stop the hate.”
When are we going to stop discriminating others for who they are? Sravanthi Vanga, a tenth grade student say, “I do not agree with this law. I think people should use the bathroom that they prefer to use. This law is unnecessary and a waste of time.” Dylan Flippo, another tenth grade students says, “I feel like it is ignorant. How are they going to enforce that law? People who are transgender have been using the bathroom of their choice for a while now, but it’s just being brought up now. It makes no sense.” Many students disagree with this, while some even agree. “I don’t want pedophiles in the bathrooms with my family. People would misuse the right to use the bathroom they are comfortable it. This law makes it so that people aren’t making bad decisions,” says a student who wishes to stay anonymous.
This law stirs conversations, which is something that needs to happen. The more conversation, the more actions that can take place.
