Supreme Court-Meet Gavin Grimm

The Supreme Court will rule on a landmark case over the right of trans students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity, the court announced on Friday.

The case revolves around Gavin Grimm, a trans boy in Virginia who was barred from using the men’s bathroom at his high school after the Gloucester County School Board approved a policy ordering students use the bathroom that matches their biological gender.

Grimm’s case marks the first time the Court will wade into the charged debate over so-called “bathroom bills” which has played out around the country. The battle has been particularly pronounced in North Carolina, where outrage over the notorious HB2 resulted in scores of public figures, businesses, entertainers, and sports leagues saying they would boycott the state while the law remained on the books.

Although the Obama administration issued a directive in May for school districts to allow trans students to use the bathroom of their choice, the battle has continued to play out at the state level. The Supreme Court now has the chance to put an end to gender-based bathroom policing once and for all.

It a bit of good news: 

ACLU National ✔ @ACLU

The Supreme Court called @libertycounsel out for referring to Gavin Grimm with the wrong pronoun

9:50 AM - 25 Feb 2017

It’s unclear how the Court will rule, but at least it’s holding firm on this important principle.

It's Not A Choice

One of the constant wrong impressions of transgender women and men is we had any choice when we chose to live a trans life.. It is one of the points I tried to get across along with my transgender sisters and brothers during the Trans Ohio Symposium. And, as a matter of fact, to a couple of my health care providers too.

My easiest explanation it seems is, cross dressing just never "got it done." My life just didn't feel right. Let me rephrase it, my life didn't feel seriously right.

Key note speakers this year at the Symposium were a serious blend of trans youth. Four, to be exact. All completely unique in their own way. One, was getting reading to head this fall to the University of Cincinnati and identified as more of an androgynous "agender" person. She spoke of waking in the morning and knowing she wasn't necessarily a girl, but definitely not a boy. Looking back into the dark ages of gender information when I grew up, I think I would have identified the closest with "Em's" story.

Perhaps the most serious impact was made by a 13 year old transgender boy who attended with his Mother and Aunt. His story was simply one of knowing his gender path and getting Mom on board after a very rough start.

If I could go back in time, maybe I could replace many of the trial and error cross dressing public trips I made with one or more symposium visits.

After all, I never had a choice and never knew it.