My local/state representative says he would stomp me

[suchacutie]

First, it seems we have a long way to go if we are to educate everyone. It's clear that we've missed a few.

It's also clear that this moron masquirading as a "representative" thought that this stunt of his would be a positive for his career. Let's hope the reverse is the case. This could be a good lesson for many in the long run!

Also, please let's keep the untoward rhetoric singling out bigotry in one political party at a minimum. There's enough bigotry to go around without generating more.

Lastly, this moron might find that "stomping" that "man in a dress" might be a little more difficult than he would imagine! Such arrogance!

tina

[Eryn]

Looking at his picture, I doubt that he is capable of stomping much of anything:

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/members/h27.html

[Sister Rachel]

I'm SOOOO glad that I live in Britain! We have our fair share of bigots and macho knuckle-draggers, of course, but very few of them put their heads above the parapet in local government these days.

[Sister Rachel]

$hit! Checked out Eryn's link, he resembles my uncle ...

[Josie M]

Well, looks like the bill was withdrawn on January 12th... the real issue that we shouldn't give him a pass on the violent rhetoric. On the other hand, it is an unavoidable fact that there are people uncomfortable with people using bathrooms or dressing rooms outside of their birth gender. Even Thailand has TG specific bathrooms from what I understand. So, that's an issue worth raising an frank and honest discussion on as well.

....currently researching everything I can find surrounding this...

[Eryn]

So, that's an issue worth raising an frank and honest discussion on as well.

The problem with the "frank and honest discussion" is that the opposition is populated by fearmongers like Floyd who create and discuss imaginary problems as if they are factual. There hasn't been one incident of a GM dressing as a woman in order to assault a GG in a restroom, yet Floyd apparently believes it to be so to the point that he threatens violence against any GM who might come near "his womenfolk" in that situation.

Better to support legislation on overarching issues that include such things as bathroom rights without specifically mentioning them. That way the fearmongers have less to get hold of.

[Anne Teak]

said in email to rep. dumbass & I paste

I don't think you could stomp flaming shit out of a paper bag, much less stomp a mudhole in me. You're old & feeble & stupid looking to boot. But that notwithstanding..... You're so worried about a guy that identifies as a woman molesting your wife or daughter that you forget that its almost 100% straight guys that are the rapists. Plus.....if a woman to man crossdresser trys to go in the actual womens dressing room & you accost her & she kicks your old ass.......what will you say then? Actually.....she might be more of a threat to your women than the girly guy ever was.

[Daphne Renee]

some people are truly idiots. I think some people are just afraid of anything different. I think this story should be brought to life on facebook twitter etc..

[Eryn]

said in email to rep. dumbass & I paste

I don't think you could stomp flaming shit out of a paper bag, much less stomp a mudhole in me. You're old & feeble & stupid looking to boot...

Sorry, but help like this we don't need. What you've done is given him evidence to publicly state "I've received threatening email from those evil transgendered people and I'm going to redouble my efforts to protect our womenfolk from them."

Next time, please think before you hit send.

[Ellyn]

This is a very difficult issue. There is no way I want women walking into the john when I am using it, and I would never walk into the women's intentionally. Likewise I do not think women should have to put up with men walking in on them. The choice should depend on the "works in the drawers". I have to admit that I have used a women's on a couple of occasions, once when the men's was out of order and nobody was around, and by mistake when they were switching from printed signs, stating Men's and Women's, or His and Hers, on the doors to the four or five different pathetic reditions in stick figures now found on various doors, that are supposed to give the illiterate and non-English speaking a hint about where they are headed.

[donnalee]

Sounds to me like "criminal conspiracy to commit a felony". Just find a police department with an axe to grind against this idiot (if he flies off the handle like this in a public press statement, I'm pretty sure he's ticked off a mukymuk in at least 1 of the 20+ police departments [including feds] that are normally found in most urban areas; or better yet a DA). Since conspiracy is a felony thanks to laws like the Patriot Act, RICO, etc. the means is there (Damn! 2 wrongs can make a right!).

[linda allen]

This is a very difficult issue. There is no way I want women walking into the john when I am using it, and I would never walk into the women's intentionally. Likewise I do not think women should have to put up with men walking in on them. The choice should depend on the "works in the drawers". .

But people can't normally see the "works in the drawers". When a male presents as a female, how can he (she) be expected to use a restroom designated for males? Wouldn't it appear that this person was using the wrong restroom?

Of course, if you don't pass, or don't try to pass (wear female clothes but no wig or unshaven), you should be using the men's facilities and be prepared to explain or defend yourself because you are in "no man's land".

Really, at least in most of the USA, there are no facilities intended for those who are neither "all male" nor "all female". It's a shame.

Sorry, but help like this we don't need. What you've done is given him evidence to publicly state "I've received threatening email from those evil transgendered people and I'm going to redouble my efforts to protect our womenfolk from them."

Next time, please think before you hit send.

Eryn, I agree with you, this should have been worded differently.

[moondog]

The problem with trying to have an open dialogue with people like this guy is they want nothing to do with open dialogue contradicting their world view and if you use their rhetoric against them they use this as an excuse to attack you even further because now you're becoming threatening. The irony that they were threatening first is lost upon them because of their distorted mindset and dysfunctional intellect.

[Nicola2876]

Some people are just idiots

[shawnsheila]

I may be speculating here but it seems like many politicians that speak out against the LGBT community are usually closeted in some way themselves and lash out against the LGBT community because they feel ashamed and need to hide/resist it by attacking folks like us.

[janet1234]

It is but a short step from Amanda's encounter to the social fascism of the current republican candidates.

[Elsa Larson]

OK, he wants everyone to use the appropriate restroom based on their plumbing at birth.

What if the southern gents visit their potty and discover assorted MTF types touching up their hair and makeup while making friendly conversation with everyone ?

And if southern belles get the same kind of potty visits from FTMs ?

Those with ambiguous genitalia will need to go through an extra screening process - with full press coverage.

A few hours of of peaceful protest might generate positive publicity, education & outreach opportunities and conscientious legislation.

Elsa

p.s. Julie: wanna do a road trip?

[Niya W]

Problem is when you start off with violence it's met with violence and that were it stands. Both sides see each other as violent animals that can not be reasoned with . I've read on other on line news sites some of the comments are boarder line death threats. I've seen people post thats why I carry a gun to if he tried that to me I'd cut his balls off. People have talked about cutting his throat if he touched when of their loved ones. A lot of these violent response are not from trans folks them selfs to. The TN rep that introduced this bill started off with violence but did not expect to be met with such violence him self. He just assumed that people would agree with him . I do believe one of the reason that he pulled this bill is cause of that level of violence .

[whowhatwhen]

There hasn't been one incident of a GM dressing as a woman in order to assault a GG in a restroom, yet Floyd apparently believes it to be so to the point that he threatens violence against any GM who might come near "his womenfolk" in that situation.

Yeah, I don't understand how anyone can think that someone would go through all of the trouble to present as a woman just to assault someone in the women's bathroom.
It's not like a rapist is going to follow a woman to the door and say "CURSES! I can't go in there, it's women only!" and go home.

It is unsettling that people with such violent fantasies can be elected though.
"Why yes I would brutally assault a defenseless woman, but in my defense they were born a man so it's O-K!"

[linda allen]

It is but a short step from Amanda's encounter to the social fascism of the current republican candidates.

Again with the politics. There are no bigoted Democrats? Really?

Politics don't belong in this forum and I would like to see that enforced.

[Josie M]

Niya, I think you've got the crux of it.

As far as the bathroom issue, I know that groups that I've gone out with in that past usually opt to just stay out of the bathroom if we sense it's making people nervous. The irony is, I don't like to use the men's bathroom when I'm en-femme because I'm concerned I might be harassed and leered at...

[WsprsOnTheWind]

Amanda WOW, that would be a tough position to be in from both sides. I know as a woman that it would make me very uncomfortable for a man to come into the restroom with me. I guess it wouldn't be an issue if he looked so much like a woman that I couldn't tell b/c I wouldn't know it. I can understand the position this man takes but he could have used more tact about it. I'm not sure how I would feel if someone who had had gender reassignment came into the restroom with me, again, if I knew it. In my mind people who have reassignment are the gender they are just in the wrong body so I THINK for me it would simply be a woman who had a corrected body via gender reassignment coming into the restroom and I don't think I would think anything of it. I really can't say unless I was in the situation. As a woman I can see how some women would feel, I can see how this makes you feel and I can understand how this makes this man feel being as he does not understand and is probably phobic about this topic. There really is no easy solution.

[Josie M]

on the other hand, given that it's estimated that 10-11% of the population is homosexual or bisexual....we've all been in a bathroom, gym, dressing room with people who are sexually attracted to those of our gender...and yet....I can recall no incidents in my experience

I also remember, back in the 90's (or maybe early 2000's....naughties?) being in a club, using the women's bathroom but there was this really creepy guy about as far in the entrance way to the lady's room as he could get away with smoking a cigarette and leering at everything that walked by....I recall being really creep-ed out.

Yet another example...in guy mode, at another club....the ladies room was just over-whelmed so they started herding women into the guys room. Women coming into the bathroom with guys at the urinals...yet, except for a couple of drunks making rude remarks...it really wasn't that big of a deal.....

We have unisex bathrooms in our homes.....I think the issue is over-blown. That being said though, I'm not going to be militant about it, if you're really not comfortable with me in your bathroom, I'll go somewhere else if I can...

[WsprsOnTheWind]

Josie, you pose a good point. I recently accidently went into the men's restroom and there was a guy at the urinal when I came out of the stall. I hadn't even noticed the urinals until then and that's when it dawned on me I had gone into the wrong restroom. I felt like the world's biggest moron and was embarassed by it but I lived through it. Thank God the guy had his back to me and hopefully he didn't see me sneaking out and realized I was a woman. So, I sorta have some frame of reference in which to base my answer on when I say that it would make me uncomfortable.

[Niya W]

Niya, I think you've got the crux of it.

As far as the bathroom issue, I know that groups that I've gone out with in that past usually opt to just stay out of the bathroom if we sense it's making people nervous. The irony is, I don't like to use the men's bathroom when I'm en-femme because I'm concerned I might be harassed and leered at...

But on the flip side of that I'm not condeming the act of violences against . What he did was an open call of violence towards trans folks . He declare war on me and people like me for no other reason then he finds me icky. I've never met the man. I believe in my heart given the opportunity he would kill every trans person he could . What he found out the hard way is that we are not some wimps that will cower in the dark scared of some bully . HTat if you want to perprate violence against a group you better be prepared to receive it back.