January 2025
Ohio Senate Bill 104
01/01/2025
Ohio Once Again Attacks the Most Venerable Among Us
by Randy Phillips
It seems this statement certainly applies to Ohio Senate Bill 104: It is not about bathrooms, just like it was never about water fountains. This bill, now law, is an attempt to legislate a whole group of people out of existence. After all, only 1.14% of all US citizens identify as transgender or nonbinary according to the US census bureau and with such a small percentage it is easy to demonize this group to excite fear, and fear, as we just witnessed, wins elections. The result is now Governor DeWine has signed into law SB 104 & HB 183 with requires all individuals in primary and secondary schools as well as institutions of higher learning to use the restrooms and other facilities that align with their sex assigned at birth.
For those of you who are not vary familiar with individuals who are transgender, Please trust me when I say that there are individuals who have transitioned some years ago, who look very opposite of what they were pronounced at birth. This is just an attempt to legislate a whole group of people out of existence. Just like the whole, “don’t say gay” bill that was introduced in Florida. For a point of reference, a like; don’t say gay bill has been reintroduced in Ohio. [We will keep you informed on that one.]
Jocelyn Rosnick, Policy Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio said: “We are increasingly disheartened as the Ohio General Assembly’s continue to attacks against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals across Ohio. Senate Bill 104 is a cruel invasion of student’s rights to privacy, which could result in unwarranted governmental disclosures of private, perusal information. If allowed to go into effect;, SB 104 will create unsafe environments for trans and gender non=conforming individuals of all ages. This bill ignores the material reality that transgender people endure higher rates of sexual violence and assaults, particularly while using public restrooms, than people who are not transgender. All Ohioans deserve to access the facilities they need in alignment with their gender identity, without fear of harassment or bullying.”
by Randy Phillips
It seems this statement certainly applies to Ohio Senate Bill 104: It is not about bathrooms, just like it was never about water fountains. This bill, now law, is an attempt to legislate a whole group of people out of existence. After all, only 1.14% of all US citizens identify as transgender or nonbinary according to the US census bureau and with such a small percentage it is easy to demonize this group to excite fear, and fear, as we just witnessed, wins elections. The result is now Governor DeWine has signed into law SB 104 & HB 183 with requires all individuals in primary and secondary schools as well as institutions of higher learning to use the restrooms and other facilities that align with their sex assigned at birth.
For those of you who are not vary familiar with individuals who are transgender, Please trust me when I say that there are individuals who have transitioned some years ago, who look very opposite of what they were pronounced at birth. This is just an attempt to legislate a whole group of people out of existence. Just like the whole, “don’t say gay” bill that was introduced in Florida. For a point of reference, a like; don’t say gay bill has been reintroduced in Ohio. [We will keep you informed on that one.]
Jocelyn Rosnick, Policy Director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio said: “We are increasingly disheartened as the Ohio General Assembly’s continue to attacks against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals across Ohio. Senate Bill 104 is a cruel invasion of student’s rights to privacy, which could result in unwarranted governmental disclosures of private, perusal information. If allowed to go into effect;, SB 104 will create unsafe environments for trans and gender non=conforming individuals of all ages. This bill ignores the material reality that transgender people endure higher rates of sexual violence and assaults, particularly while using public restrooms, than people who are not transgender. All Ohioans deserve to access the facilities they need in alignment with their gender identity, without fear of harassment or bullying.”