Lawsuit, Bar vs. TG/TS/CD (Scottsdale, AZ)

[Sharon]

There was a time, not so many years ago, that we had laws in many places in the US where races were segregated because it was believed(by the white majority) to be indecent to share facilities. These laws were, thankfully, overturned, despite the protestations of many.

I am transgendered -- where else am I to go than to the restroom of the gender I identify with and live as? Is is right to endulge the fears and ignorance of some at the expense of others like me? No, it is not.

I sympatize with those who fear or misunderstand me, but that fear is baseless and the intolerance shown me and others like me is just wrong. The fight for equality and compassion in our society is worth a little aggravation.

[Sheri 4242]

There was a time, not so many years ago, that we had laws in many places in the US where races were segregated because it was believed . . . to be indecent to share facilities. These laws were, thankfully, overturned, despite the protestations of many.

Not to make light of a serious subject, but you just "dated" yourself, Sharon (). And I "date" myself because I recall the segregated bathrooms vividly :D !!! In fact, just the other day I was traveling on a backroad and pulled into a very old gas station facility with three bathrooms (none of which I would have used unless it was a dire emergency).

There were, in those days, one for "men" (which meant white men), one for "ladies" (which meant white GG's), and one for "colored," which meant GM and GG blacks. These latter bathrooms were, as I recall, usually the least desireable of the facilities at many (most?) places. I even recall this 3 bathroom set-up in county courthouses! At the few places that had separate bathroom facilities for black GM's and black GGs, the bathroom for the latter were labeled "women," as opposed to "ladies" for white GG's!

Another thing I recall at gas stations, courthouses, and a few businesses is that there were separate water fountains designated by race, too. And, it just flashed before me the signs in "white" barber shops" that noted "white only." Of course, the same applied to restauraunts and hotels/motels. Watch the movie about the early days of Buddy Holly where he traveled with black groups -- things often cut both ways b/c the black hotel didn't want to lodge "white boys." (I may not have this part right, but it seems the legendary Sam Cooke "took care of matters" in that situation. I'm pretty sure it was Cooke, but could be wrong. The event happened, regardless.)

When Elvis was first getting started, the key to his success was timing b/c it was clearly stated that they were looking for, and I specifically quote, "a white boy who could sing like a black man."

The argument was that it was okay as long as they were separate-but-equal, but the Supreme Court finally spoke with words that were resounding: "separate-but-equal is inherently unequal."

My first days in public high school were very tense b/c my high school was one of the first to be intergrated in the south. (Most of us students were okay with it -- it was the adult "powers that be" that were waiting on trouble.) That brings up still another idiotic "law" from that era: many school districts had laws that actually prohibited storing the exact same textbooks used by black students and white students in the same storage facility (I could be wrong, but I think there was a case on this in Dallas).

At any rate, GREAT ANALOGY, Sharon!!! As they say in the law, definitely "on point" IMHO!!! Today it isn't race -- today it is gender!!! Guess that gives us hope!!!