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The Governor of Ohio has approved regulations for transgender students using bathrooms. Ohio is one of several states that have implemented rules regarding restroom use for transgender students in public schools.
Authored by Amy
In Ohio, transgender students of all ages, from kindergarten to college, will not be allowed to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. The governor, Mike DeWine, who is a Republican, approved a bill on Wednesday that enforces this rule. Ohio is just one of a dozen states that have implemented similar laws in recent times, placing limitations on which bathrooms transgender students can use in public schools.
The Ohio bill was passed as Republicans are using transgender issues to create division among Democrats. Some Democrats are concerned that supporting transgender rights could harm their party politically.
Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio was among the Democratic candidates who were defeated in this year’s elections, as they were the focus of Republican TV ads that brought up transgender individuals’ bathroom access and participation in sports. Recently, after Sarah McBride made history by becoming the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, Republican lawmakers in Congress attempted to prevent transgender individuals from using bathrooms that match their gender identity on Capitol Hill.
The law in Ohio is more strict compared to other states when it comes to regulating bathroom use for transgender individuals. It applies to people over the age of 18 and also includes private schools and colleges. The law categorizes individuals as either male or female based on their birth identification. Schools are required to have separate facilities for male and female students only.
According to the law, schools can set up facilities for single use or for families, but they cannot have multi-occupancy facilities that are designated as non-gendered, multi-gendered, or open to all genders. Higher education institutions are also not allowed to knowingly let someone of one biological sex use a facility designated for the opposite sex. This new measure will go into effect in 90 days, but it does not specify any penalties or enforcement details.
Governor DeWine vetoed a bill last year that would have prohibited gender-transition medical treatments for minors and prevented transgender girls and women from participating in sports teams that align with their gender identity. Despite his veto, the decision was overturned. The ACLU of Ohio had advised the governor against signing the bill, arguing that it fails to recognize the increased risk of sexual violence and assaults that transgender individuals face, especially in public restrooms.
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