Federal Officials Stumping for Transgender Agenda in Commencement Addresses

Transgender, , ,

Vanita_GuptaWe have written extensively about government overreach in the areas of education and public health; the Obama Administration is reinterpreting federal laws to force schools to let biological males who claim to be female use girls’ restrooms and locker rooms at school. The administration also is forcing hospitals and doctors to offer “gender transition” services–something that flies in the face of many doctors’ professional and conscientious convictions.

In between all of this, federal officials also have been stumping in favor of gay and transgender activists at school graduations.

The head of the federal Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Vanita Gupta, told New York University School of Law graduates on May 19,

And we see this gap [between what laws guarantee and what people experience] in efforts to deny LGBTI individuals – especially transgender men and women – the respect they deserve and the protection our laws guarantee.  And let me add this – efforts like House Bill 2 in North Carolina [requiring people to use  public restrooms corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificates] not only violate the laws that govern our nation, but also the values that define us as a people.

Earlier, on May 14, she told University of Minnesota Law School graduates,

Even after the Supreme Court’s landmark gay marriage decision last year in Obergefell v. Hodges that guaranteed all people ‘equal dignity in the eyes of the law,’ we see new efforts to deny LGBTI individuals the respect they deserve and the protection our laws guarantee.  And let me add this – efforts like House Bill 2 in North Carolina [requiring people to use  public restrooms corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificates] not only violate the laws that govern our nation, but also the values that define us as a people.

On Monday, May 16, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch gave the commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, in which she said,

[F]rom Bunker Hill to Appomattox and from Seneca Falls to Selma; from the Emancipation Proclamation to the 19th Amendment and from the civil rights laws of the 1960s to Obergefell v. Hodges [which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide] – we have won these and so many other victories only because people of good will and moral conviction refused to stand aside when there was more to be done.

U.S. Attorney General Lynch’s words effectively equate the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to nullify state marriage laws nationwide with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, and Assistant Attorney General Gupta seems to think it is patently un-American to believe men should use the men’s room and women should use the women’s room.

In the eyes of this administration letting people use the restroom of their choice is not some minor issue; it is a civil right. That comes as a surprise to many people, considering the many other problems plaguing the world today, but these officials’ words and actions seem to be clear indicators of the federal government’s priorities.

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Understanding North Carolina’s “Bathroom Bill”

Current Events, Transgender, , , ,

North_Carolina_Locator_Map_with_USOver the past several weeks we have seen a lot of questions–and misinformation–about North Carolina’s so-called “bathroom bill”. What is this bill, and does Arkansas need one like it?

In a nutshell, North Carolina’s proposed H.B. 2 primarily does five things:

  1. It requires restrooms, locker rooms, showers, changing rooms, and similar facilities at public schools to be sex-specific, and requires each person to use the facility that corresponds to his or her biological sex.
  2. It requires restrooms, locker rooms, showers, changing rooms, and similar facilities at government buildings–like those at highway rest stops, public colleges, and so on–to be sex-specific, and requires each person to use the facility that corresponds to his or her biological sex.
  3. It allows these institutions to designate single-occupancy restrooms as available to any person, regardless of sex. That means a restroom with only one stall in it, for example, could be used by anyone regardless of his or her sex or gender-identity.
  4. It prevents cities and counties from enacting ordinances creating additional, protected classes–much like Arkansas’ Intrastate Commerce law passed in 2015 does.
  5. It allows businesses and other organizations to designate their restrooms as they see fit. That means if Target wants to let biological males use the women’s restrooms, Target may do so; if Walmart, for instance, wants to make sure a man or woman uses the restroom that corresponds to his or her biological sex, Walmart may do so.

It is entirely reasonable for the State of North Carolina to pass a law governing how government-owned and operated restrooms and similar facilities are utilized.

It is entirely reasonable for the North Carolina Legislature to reserve the power to recognize protected classes of citizens.

And it is entirely reasonable for businesses to decide biological males must use the men’s room and biological females must use the women’s room.

As to whether or not Arkansas needs a law like North Carolina’s, Arkansas passed a law in 2015 that prevents local governments from creating or recognizing any protected classes not found in state law; this should effectively prevent cities and counties from giving special rights or protections to people based on sexual orientation or gender identity–just as North Carolina’s bill does.

As far as the “bathroom” aspect of North Carolina’s bill is concerned, Arkansas’ lawmakers may want to look into legislation that would prevent some of the madness we have seen in states whose legislatures have not addressed public restrooms.

For example, last February a Seattle man entered the women’s locker at a pool twice–once while a girls’ swim team was present. When confronted, he told staff, “the law has changed, and I have a right to be here.” The police were not called, and no one was arrested. Our friends at the Family Policy Institute of Washington also recently wrote about a convicted sex offender trying to gain access to women’s restrooms and locker rooms.

Given the situations other communities are facing, it’s easy to understand why a state legislature would want to clarify the laws surrounding sex-specific facilities.

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Target Invites Men to Use Women’s Restrooms, Fitting Rooms

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Yesterday Target’s corporate office issued a statement announcing biological males who claim to female can use the women’s restrooms and fitting rooms in Target stores–and vice versa.

Target closed its statement, saying, “Everyone deserves to feel like they belong. And you’ll always be accepted, respected and welcomed at Target.”

Of course, this raises the obvious question: What about the women and children who may not feel safe or “welcomed” with a man present in the women’s restrooms or fitting rooms?

Target is using policies like this one to make political statements at the expense of its customers and employees, and it is helping advance a radical agenda that many believe gives predators a legal reason to loiter in or around restrooms and similar facilities.

If you are as appalled by this decision from Target as we are, I invite you to make your opinion known to Target. You can contact the Target store nearest you using the information below.

Bryant Target 7377 Alcoa Rd Bryant, AR72022-6204 (501) 776-4360
Conway Target 501 Elsinger Blvd Conway, AR72032-4717 (501) 328-5739
Fayetteville Target 3545 N Shiloh Dr Fayetteville, AR72703-5359 (479) 443-5517
Fort Smith Target 4001 Phoenix Ave Fort Smith, AR72903-6099 (479) 709-8940
Jonesboro Target 3000 E Highland Dr Jonesboro, AR72401-6321 (870) 934-9661
North Little Rock Target 4000 McCain Blvd North Little Rock, AR72116-8039 (501) 771-4220
Little Rock Univer Target 420 S University Ave Little Rock, AR72205-5246 (501) 801-3412
Little Rock West Target 12700 Chenal Pkwy Little Rock, AR72211-3360 (501) 217-0200
Rogers Target 2404 Promenade Blvd Rogers, AR72758-9080 (479) 986-1100

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