In his announcement signing into law HB1259, Gov. Larry Rhoden declared that common sense remains common in South Dakota. Do we need more common sense, or rational sense? Probably both. Because common sense tells me that trans folks live and laugh and mourn and love just like us cis folks. Rational sense tells me that from 8 billion genetically distinct-but-related humans, theres absolutely no way theres only two genders.
Common sense tells us that trans folks do the same thing that us cis folks do in the bathroom, which is go to the bathroom. Rational sense tells me that we should be consistent in granting the pursuit of happiness and stop legislating away the self-identity of folks who are clearly not a threat.
In the same edition of the Register, from March 24, I also read about Jared Eichorn, a Republican state senator from Minnesota, prosecuted for soliciting a minor for prostitution. When pursuing common sense, sometimes the call is coming from inside the house. Do I mean to imply that all male Republicans are of unwise moralities?
Hell no. Eliot Spitzer, for example, comes to mind, but I do not stand behind him or any others. And I will not let the banner of protect women and children be flaunted so aggressively by a group of people who have plenty of their own problems.
Ill admit, I dont have a solution to some of the issues we surround trans folks with. For example, to me sports are constructed of completely arbitrary rules, so maybe participation can also be somewhat arbitrary. I think the idea of a single-occupant bathroom is great, as there are plenty of reasons anyone may need additional privacy in a bathroom setting. In general, however, I do know that trans folks are 100% human, and deserve to be treated as such.
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