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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

LGBTQI-Z Transgender Woman Ticketed for Using the Women's Restroom

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, May 2, 2012 at 2:59 PM

Where do you think a transgendered woman would get ticketed for using a women's room? In Texas, of course:

Parkland police cited Paula Witherspoon, whose legal name is Paul Witherspoon, for disorderly conduct on April 25.

"It was definitely humiliating, degrading," she said. "I felt like I was being discriminated against."...Witherspoon said she offered to show the officer a transition letter from her doctor that states, "She is expected to use facilities consistent with her external presentation, which is female."
But Parkland police told her they have to go by what is on her license, Witherspoon said.

As plainly as I can put it: Witherspoon was being discriminated against. Is Texas going to institute genitalia checks for restrooms, now? Basically, she was ticketed because someone was offended because she used the restroom. If I had the power to ticket everyone who offends me in public restrooms—through racist graffiti, through lack of hygiene, through inappropriate attempts at small talk at urinals—the city of Seattle would have tens of thousands of additional dollars coming in every year. But I don't have that power. Because other people's business is not my business.

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