Transgender rights are a popular up-and-coming topic. Especially rights for people who are transgender. Being transgender is "A person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person's sex at birth" (Merriam-Webster). This means a person does not feel that they are the gender that they are born with. Some dress, act, and change their name to a gender that they would rather correspond with. Big issues about their rights are their restroom access rights and the violence towards them. Another issue is identifying them. Violence is a huge issue that hasn't been fixed. People who identify as transgender should be able to use the bathroom they feel more comfortable with and violence should be addressed and fixed. They should be able to identify as what they would like to on documents and personally. Discrimination is a big issue that people ignore and I believe it's time to stand up for them and accept them. Transgender people deserve the right to use their preferred restroom, the right to a violence-free environment, and the right to identify however they wish on legal documents.
Restroom rights are an important issue as well. There is no law against which bathroom they can use, but there is an issue if they haven't had a sex change. At that point, there are several laws that can be broken. "It could also be illegal: For instance, if employers were to impose such a "genital standard" for bathroom use, they would need to inquire about the genitals of everyone in that workplace" (Lambda Legal); and speaking about genitals in the workplace also wouldn't be appropriate. Unisex bathrooms are an option that can be used; but these bathrooms are not very popular in businesses. They provide an option that is safer and more effective for transgender people. "Unisex restrooms are not a bad idea, because they do provide more options for TG people, as well as for people with young children and people with disabilities who need help from someone of a different gender" (Lambda Legal). Although, there are several laws for restrooms in the workplace, not many of them are used or reported if they aren't used. Unisex bathrooms need to be used and I think that for the benefit of people who are transgender, this would be the best option. Companies and businesses should begin investing in these bathrooms. I do not believe that we should completely get rid of bathrooms that separate genders either; some would feel more comfortable that way. There should be a law that states companies also have an option of unisex bathrooms but TG people should be able to use bathrooms that segregate genders as well; although in that case I believe they should use whichever one they are more comfortable with. More laws need to be set in place for things as simple as bathroom use. They do not have the freedom or the comfort that they deserve as people and citizens.
A very big issue is the violence that revolves around them. "People who identify as transgender were 28% more likely to experience physical violence than those who are gender normative" (Glaad). There is even a day that they celebrate the lives that have been lost due to violence towards them. This day falls on November 20th; a vigil is held and it is celebrated with reading off a list of the loved ones who were lost. "The Transgender Violence Tracking Portal has received 102 reports of transgender anti-violence from January 1st, 2014" (IDAHOT). This is just the data from one year, but this has been happening since people began identifying as Trans. Most people act on violence because of their beliefs. Not necessarily religious, but their own personal beliefs. Some believe a person should live and identify as the gender they were born with and dress in that matter. It is mostly not understood by older generations because it was not tolerated and didn't exist back in those days. Transgender people should dress in whatever matter they feel comfortable with and we shouldn't put gender roles on clothing. People should be more opening and excepting to this group of people. Transgender people have so much violence towards them because others don't really understand who they are. People should be more educated and knowledgeable of them and the violence should be addressed. It is not very often that it is directly addressed in violence cases and in the media.
Transgender people have a big issue with being identified in documents. "Trans people may face unfair difficulties without accurate ID" (NCTA). There are several requirements in order to legally become the gender that you choose. Obtaining an id and changing legal documents require awkward, inappropriate questions once again, regarding the person's gentiles. "State and federal governments have imposed intrusive and burdensome requirements-such as proof of surgery and court orders-that have made it impossible for many trans people to obtain accurate and consistent ID" (NCTA). In order to legally have your sex changed, you have to have had a sex change surgery. This shouldn't be a requirement in order for a person to change their gender in documents. Some never get to the point where they can have a full surgery, mostly because of finances and the cost. These expenses aren't covered under health insurance. "Only one-fifth (21%) of transgender people who have..been able to update all of their IDs and records with their new gender" (NCTA). Anyone who identifies as transgender should be able to change their documents more smoothly and easily without the need for a complete surgery.
Transgender rights are a new topic that is just coming into light. It is not completely understood by many and they do not have many rights. In most cases, in order to speak about their rights, their gentiles have to be discussed. Gentilia is an inappropriate subject when it comes to a person's rights and they shouldn't be discussed. That is a person's body and it shouldn't be up for debate. People need to have more knowledge on them and make their lives easier with new laws. They are people as well, but many do not treat them as so.
