Brave trans teen stands up to school district over cruel bathroom ban
A trans girl and her family have filed a lawsuit against a US school over a bathroom access ban.
The 14-year-old girl and her family filed the lawsuit against Dakota School District after alleging district leaders enforced a discriminatory and unconstitutional policy.
They claim this policy bars her from using bathrooms, locker rooms and from competing with the girls’ track team.
In Illinois, people can use the restroom of their choice as, by law, Illinois Legal Aid states an individual can’t be denied access to a public restroom.
In 2017 the US Supreme Court passed a law that states all LGBTQ+ people in the country are entitled to fair access to facilities.
It came after extending the Civil Rights Act to include gender identity and sexual orientation.
Following a Dakota school board meeting in April, television broadcast company 23 WIFR was alerted to the issue of trans students being excluded from certain spaces.
Several parents and students had spoken out at the meeting over a transgender student’s participation in sports.
Parents and students expressed that they didn’t think it was fair for a trans woman to compete in girls’ sports.
Following this, school board members rallied to overturn Section 7:10 in the school’s policy that allows equal opportunities for students based on their gender identities.
Parents suggested that trans students should compete in their own divisions, 23 WIFR reported.
According to the publication the district allegedly enforced a new policy that requires athletes to join teams based on their assigned genders at birth.
A copy of the lawsuit from the Stephenson County Clerk’s Office features a preliminary statement claiming the girl and family “ignore laws established”.
It reads: “The transgender girl and her family state the Dakota School District wilfully chose to ignore laws established at the state and national level, to torment and ostracise the young trans girl.”
Previously Illinois lawmakers attempted to introduce a law to restrict trans girls from playing on girls’ and women’s teams, but it wasn’t passed.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) requires schools to follow a list of procedures concerning transgender participation, including proof of medical documentation like hormone treatments.
Before making a final decision about whether trans athletes can compete, the IHSA will review the documents and will notify the school of its decision.
