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SF Sportscaster Thurn: Blocking Transgender Kids from Choosing Locker Rooms Bad for SD

Sioux Falls sports broadcaster Jeff Thurn steps into the political arena with an editorial calling House Bill 1008, Rep. Fred Deutsch’s potty/locker room bill, an unnecessary political ploy that drags down South Dakota’s good name:

The fact that it has become a political issue is what makes this even more sad.  This is a human rights issue and at its core it’s a issue of doing the right thing.  And what is right is to allow people to have the right to be themselves without discrimination and this bill does the exact opposite….

No kid or parent is going to try and take advantage of a situation where they are able to use the correct locker room or bathroom that matches their gender identity instead.  I know when I was a kid, a adolescent or as an adult would I or have I felt uncomfortable in such a situation.

Plus, in this measure specifically we are talking about students. Kids, who now have to be discriminated against because some adults think they know better.

The image that is portrayed nationally with this bill is a bad image for South Dakota.  Other states have looked at such bills but South Dakota is the first to pass such a measure [Jeff Thurn, South Dakota House of Representatives Brings a Bad Image to the State with Latest Transgender Student Ban,” ESPN 99.1 Radio, 2016.02.01].

Let’s see how sports fans respond to this broadcaster’s political opinion… and opinion that may be informed by his wife’s education and experience as a school psychologist who likely deals with bullying like Hb 1008 on a regular basis.

7 Comments

  1. Dave L. 2016-02-01 09:58

    For those of us not real informed on this bill. Would the “transgender” student be allowed to use the same rest room and shower as their teammates or would they need to use a facility appropriate for what their original orientation is? Sorry if not asked appropriately.

  2. caheidelberger Post author | 2016-02-01 10:18

    Thanks for checking in, Dave L.! To reply….

    First, there’s no need for quote marks around the word transgender. It’s a real word, describing real people.

    Second, HB 1008 explicitly forbids students whose gender identity does not match the biological sex on their birth certificates from using the same bathrooms and locker rooms as their teammates. Click here to read House Bill 1008 in full.

    Third, as an unintended bonus, the current wording of the law also forbids adults from using any school bathrooms used by students at any time, thus making it likely that your school district will have to build a whole new set of bathrooms for adults and visitors only.

  3. jake 2016-02-01 16:32

    One thing I find missing ( I believe last week an ex-nurse did some explaining ) is a good explanation of transgender identity etc.

  4. bearcreekbat 2016-02-01 16:57

    Dave, talk about unintended consequences to a stupid legislative proposal. Great link!

  5. Kris 2016-02-01 17:00

    no way!

  6. caheidelberger Post author | 2016-02-01 17:10

    Jake, I don’t think the explanation is missing from the public debate. What’s missing is Republican legislators’ willingness to listen, learn, and change their thinking to align with new science.

Comments are closed.