Florida attempting to ban transgenders from using opposite sex restrooms (opposite from born gender)

[davidn3600]

A bill that could force transgender people to use public facilities based on their gender at birth moved forward Wednesday.

The Florida House's Civil Justice Subcommittee, on a 9-4 party line vote, approved a measure that sponsor Frank Artiles, R-Miami, called "a common sense bill that protects public safety."

After the introduction of the bill, 36 members of the public lined up to speak -- 27 in opposition. Robert Sullivan, transitioning to Cindy Sullivan, was the first to speak. She sobbed as she asked, "Why do you want to put me in jail?"

House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, appeared at a press conference before the subcommittee's meeting and seemed bemused at the very existence of the bill.

"Forty-five percent of people have difficulty paying their bills month to month. Water issues. Education issues. Tax issues. All of these are at the forefront," he said. "And we find a bill here today that is going to limit a Floridian's right to use the bathroom?"

The bill now goes on to the House Judiciary Committee. In the Senate, a companion bill strips out the transgender language and simply makes it illegal for anyone to enter a public place with the intention of stalking someone in a public bathroom.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-transgender-bathroom-bill-20150304-story.html

Florida Republicans once again proving what a bunch of hateful bigots, and complete fucking idiots they are....

[glasshouses]

1. So if a guy says he's feels like a woman he can go into a female public restroom

what could go wrong..................

[Skittles]

4. did you two miss the word TRANSGENDER?

or are you just idiots?

[CBGLuthier]

6. Now that is a really dumb question

Of course they are idiots. Absolute and complete fucking idiots.

[Skittles]

12. not sure who is more idiotic

those two, or the jury

[stevenleser]

14. Between first two posters and jurors who voted not to hide, its a photo finish.

I've emailed admins. Homophobes shouldn't be here.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. Fuck the jury and the horses they rode in on.

Anybody who countenances such blatant bigotry has no place on a progressive site.

[stevenleser]

15. At least my alert on that one was upheld 4-3

On Thu Mar 5, 2015, 02:18 AM you sent an alert on the following post:

Seriously.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6314492

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

YOUR COMMENTS

Homophobic. The other post should have been hidden too but jury left it 4-3.

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Thu Mar 5, 2015, 02:35 AM, and voted 4-3 to HIDE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: OK, this is fucked up. ADMINS--you need to get RID OF THAT HOMOPHOBE in the "other" post and do it NOW. And if the jury doesn't get rid of this asshole, who is plainly a sock/disruptor, I'll be disgusted in the extreme. Enough of this bullshit--how long do DEMOCRATS have to put up with this kind of intolerant crapola? This isn't "difference of opinion" -- this is a comment that contravenes the Democratic party platform. Skinner, you need to start cleaning house.
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: bigoted
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

Thank you.

[merrily]

17. I was juor #6. It's sad that the vote was only 4-3. At DU, it should have been unanimous.

[betsuni]

19. Happy to be on that jury and voted to hide it.

[merrily]

16. In fairness to idiots...."both" could be the same poster.

[Skittles]

21. there seems to be more idiots than usual lately

absolutely

looks like at least "one" of them got the boot - I think when jurors just don't fucking get it, it emboldens more idiocy until, well, even idiots can't ignore the idiocy

[merrily]

22. To quote Name Removed's post, in its entirety, "Seriously."

[uppityperson]

9. Welcome to DU and a quick question. Do you know what Transgender means?

[Travis_0004]

7. Results of jury service

On Wed Mar 4, 2015, 10:39 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

So if a guy says he's feels like a woman he can go into a female public restroom
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6314440

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Clueless or bigotted against Transgender people? I think bigoted and worth a hide.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Wed Mar 4, 2015, 10:49 PM, and the Jury voted 3-4 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Its a discussion board and he was voicing his opinion, even though I may disagree with it.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Flamebait.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Just an ill-considered comment. In other words: dumb. But I don't think it's bigotry.
Frankly, I think we could all be a little less PC.
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Skittles]

11. "dumb but not bigotry" "he is voicing his opinion"

that about says it all regarding the intellect here

[merrily]

18. We have some Libertarian type jurors who think nothing should be hidden, even bigotry.

In my opinion, they should indicate that they are not willing to serve as a juror because in giving anything and everything a pass, they are not performing jury duty.


It's sad to me that this was only 4-3. At DU, I think it should have been unanimous.

[Behind the Aegis]

20. Not surprising.

Another post was hidden 4-3 and was homophobic. One of the ones voting to leave stated: The poster doesn't equate wearing women's clothes with being gay that I can see. The comment isn't particularly funny, but its no worse than most of the others on this thread. However, that is exactly what did happen, but the adding of "not worse than others" pretty much sums it up as far as what it takes for some to hide bigotry.

Oh, and if you remember our conversation from the other night, a recent thread is a perfect example of that discussion. Again, another example of bigotry getting a pass.

[Skittles]

25. OMG

that jury comment is even more stupid than the ones we were referring to

[merrily]

27. At least that post got hidden. Also, see Reply 26.

[merrily]

26. Here are the results of another alert on this thread:

don't get it.............
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6314538

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

YOUR COMMENTS

bigoted against transgender. Reply 2 said only "Seriously" as a response to Reply 1 and the poster got banned. Reply 1 has been alerted on. This is in the same vein.

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Thu Mar 5, 2015, 02:07 AM, and voted 3-4 to LEAVE IT ALONE.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Send up the MIRT signal! No matter how many posts this one has...a tombstone is called for, now!
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Just answer the person's question as best you can. No need to alert on it. I don't understand why so many rely on alerting as opposed to just having a civil conversation.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Was the alert on the wrong post? I think this post is criticizing the transphobia, not endorsing it.

I love the range from ban this alerted on poster to this alerted on poster is actually defending transgendered people.

And juror 4 is a perfect example of what I said in Reply 18. What are jurors for, if not to enforce the terms of service? If you don't want to do that, take yourself out of the jury pool. This is DU, not FREEP. If I wanted to have a "civil discussion" about why bigotry is wrong, I'd be posting at Discussionist or FREEP.

I think Juror 7 is right, though. This alert was based on a misreading of the post.

[uppityperson]

8. Have you no clue what transgender means or are you trying to be offensive?

This is a serious question. Once you answer, I will reply further.

[NuclearDem]

38. And good riddance.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=320130&sub=trans

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. You have nothing to worry about

A man or a woman isn't going to wake up one morning, out of the blue decide they are of the opposite gender, and take a dump in the "wrong" restroom.

[stevenleser]

42. Thou hath disrupted... poorly. No homophobes on DU.

Buh bye.

[Takket]

3. i don't get it.............

why would you want someone who was born a man but has become a woman to use a men's room?

and vice versa

[Skittles]

5. it's how transphobe idiots think

[RKP5637]

33. Most don't have a lot upstairs for original thought. They just blurt out

reactions as programmed to do not having any grasp of what words mean and/or what they are saying. This, has to be among one of the most stupid bills of mankind.

[merrily]

29. Agree, but I think transgenders are born what they are, not the so-called opposite gender

In other words I think a transgendered woman was born a transgendered woman, not born a man.

[RKP5637]

37. Punishment! Haters just have to have people to hate and to punish, that's what it

gets down to as a root cause. We see it all the time by haters, find some person/group to persecute. This bill is utterly stupid, stupid beyond a doubt. It really calls into question the mentality and capabilities of lawmakers that work to institute this type of egregious nonsense.

[ohnoyoudidnt]

10. How exactly would they enforce this?

Do they want want to appoint bathroom monitors that will inspect the genetics of everyone entering?

[merrily]

23. That doesn't do it, either. Some transgendered people have had surgery.

[Katashi_itto]

13. Umm is there going to be a Gender Police dept? "Ok spread em" takes on a whole new meaning.

[LittleBlue]

24. How low can the GOP go?

Beat on the most vulnerable, discriminated against people. Rethugs are filth

[merrily]

28. On the flip side, the pride I feel when I read the vote was along party lines, with Democrats taking

the human position, is one of the reasons I stayed a Democrat when I turned old enough to vote and still stay a Democrat. Not the only reason but a big part.

[RKP5637]

34. Yep, same here. Even at their worst, most democrats IMO are more humane

than republicans.

[merrily]

35. I think most Demomcrats would say that and also say that human rights, including equal rights,

are very important to them.

On the other hand, I am dismayed that cultural issues seem to be trumping other kinds of differences between the parties and voters are not objecting in greater numbers.

[underahedgerow]

31. Republicans never fail to display their backwoods ignorant mentality, but FFS it's really just

a toilet, isn't it? Why do some people continue to insist that using the toilet is somehow a sexual thing? It's just erm... using the toilet? Why does it matter if men and women use the same facilities? Yeah, men stand up, lucky them, and heaven forbid we WIMMINS might see a schpeckle! Oh the horror! Just because a guy has his hand on his business doesn't turn it into a weapon.

And the same for women, actually.. Just because a female is urinating doesn't mean she is an instant target of sexual advances. It's just biology.

In my travels around the world, the only place I've ever seen a massive line outside women's toilets is in the USA. Everywhere else, if there is a free facility/toilet/washroom, regardless of gender people just head on in and do what they need to do.

I don't understand the "fear the penis' culture so prevalent in the USA.

I have countless times seen homeless men displaying their business and the parents clutching their children to their breast, women shrieking in fear, but I think it's just sad and amusing and just benign. Plus, if we take the fear and reaction factor out of it, it dis-empowers the exhibitor. Same goes for flashers actually. They're seeking a negative reaction (and hopefully not looking for a date). Laughing at them just takes all the fun out of it for them.

Laugh these republicans out of office, it's far better than gasping in fear and horror. Just laugh at them...

[RKP5637]

41. Well said! n/t

[Turbineguy]

32. Where did all this

Hate come from?

[HappyMe]

39. Backwards idiots.

There doesn't seem to be any end to the bigotry.