columbus ohio
AP
—
Transgender students in Ohio’s public and private schools, from kindergarten through college, would be prohibited from using multi-person restrooms based on their gender identity, under a bill Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced he signed Wednesday. That will happen.
Mr. DeWine faced opposition from Democrats, teachers unions and civil rights groups who had hoped that his opposition to last year’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors would carry through and prompt another veto. He pushed through and signed the bill. It will take effect within 90 days.
The governor did not issue a statement regarding the signing.
The Republican-backed bill, dubbed the “Protecting Every Student Act,” would require public and private schools and universities to provide separate bathrooms, locker rooms, and accommodations “exclusively” for men and women based on gender. is required to be specified. Assigned at or near birth and within the school building or other facility used for school-sponsored events. No enforcement mechanism is included.
“It revolves around safety, security and common sense,” said Republican Ohio Sen. Jerry Cirino, the bill’s sponsor. “This protects our children and grandchildren when they are the most vulnerable. I will protect it in the privacy of my position.”
Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtue, which supported the bill, said in a statement: “Common sense is triumphing in America today. Students should not be forced to share restrooms or locker rooms with students of the opposite sex, and thanks to Governor DeWine’s decision to sign this bill, Ohio’s children are now better protected.”
The ACLU of Ohio was one of the groups pushing for the veto, calling the measure a violation of the privacy rights of LGBTQ+ Ohioans and jeopardizing their safety.
School staff, people in emergencies, and those supporting young children and people with disabilities are exempt from the restrictions, and schools can continue to provide single-occupancy or family-use toilets.
With DeWine’s signature, Ohio has become a national favorite among many Republican politicians, including President-elect Donald Trump, as transgender people have gained visibility and acceptance in some quarters in recent years. This has further spurred the backlash that is currently occurring.
Currently, 26 states have adopted laws reinstating or banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Dec. 4 on whether Tennessee’s ban on such treatments can remain enforceable. Any ruling is likely to influence policy in other states.
At least 11 states, like Ohio, have adopted laws banning transgender girls and women from girls’ and girls’ restrooms in public schools and sometimes other government facilities.
And at least 24 states have enacted laws making sports competitions open to transgender girls and women.
Ohio’s bathroom bill was debated for 19 months before it finally passed the Republican-led Legislature on Nov. 13 during Transgender Awareness Week. The bill was added by the Ohio House to another bill related to the state’s College Credit Plus program, which allows high school students to earn college credits.
The Trump campaign pivoted heavily against transgender rights in the final weeks of the campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris. They included President Trump’s pledge at a Madison Square Garden rally to “keep men out of women’s sports” and a campaign ad that read “Kamala is for them.” /they. President Trump is on your side. ”
It is unclear what policies President Trump will adopt after taking office in January. However, bills related to gender issues are already being debated in the state legislature, which is due to convene in early 2025.
Texas, for example, prohibits the use of state money to pay for “gender reassignment,” uses state money to pay for reversing gender transition, and requires gender affirmation before age 15. It is proposed that people in care would be prohibited from providing care until they are 15 years old. When he turned 25, he sued his doctor for medical malpractice. The country’s Republican-dominated Democratic Party has also introduced several bills aimed at protecting people from discrimination based on “gender identity or expression.”
In Ohio, a law went into effect in August that bans gender-affirming care for minors and prohibits transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports competitions. But it has been a difficult road. The bill only became law after Congress overrode DeWine’s veto. The judge then suspended the execution for about four months before allowing it.
