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Alejandra De La Torre
John Kubler
English 114B
1 April 2014
Transgender: Not a True Gender
We live in a society where some people seem to be more liberal than others to the point
where they have become more accepting of the different gender identities and sexual orientations
like gays, lesbians and bisexuals. Although it seems that everyone is more accepting towards the
LGBT community, however not everyone is on the same page. I accept the majority of this
community except for transgender individuals. Transgender or transsexual individuals are usually
people who are born with typical male or female anatomies but feel as though theyve been born
into the wrong body ("What's the Difference between Being Transgender"). The idea of these
transgender people is something that is relatively not accepted in our society because it goes
against many religions and the beliefs of those who are conservatives. Just like the rest of their
community, they need to accept the fact that they were born as a male or female and not change it
in any way.
Lesbians, gays and bisexuals dont change who they are physically; they just choose to
love someone from their same sexual orientation. I completely agree that people should have the
right to love whoever they want even if its someone of the same sex. However, the fact that
transgender people want to change their sex because they dont accept who they are is
unacceptable from my point of view. A new California law AB1266 that provides transgender
students certain rights in public schools took effect January 1. It guarantees students in grades K-
12 the right to use the school restrooms and to participate in the sex-segregated activities that
correspond with their expressed genders instead of their school records. There wasn't much of a
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debate on this bill before Governor Jerry Brown signed it. As a result, there are many controversial
issues. For example, it is mentioned in the Fox News video that transgender is defined "anyway
they want too, as long as the child has the perception they are transgender" (Brice 1). I actually
believe this is the worst part of the bill. Transgender people should remain the gender they were
born with biologically. Therefore, transgender individuals shouldnt be given special rights
because they are different than others from their community. They shouldnt get to choose which
bathroom or sports teams to join because they decided to change their sex. They shouldnt be able
to say they are females even though biologically they are males. By accepting who they really are
will cause them and society less difficulties.
First of all, when it comes to having the right to use the school restroom based on the fact
that they "think" they are transgender can be dangerous. There is going to be those "immature"
kids or perverts wanting to go to their opposite sex restroom; however they won't be punished
because if they get caught there excuse could be that they are transgender. This issue can cause
many disciplinary problems with the students that teachers are going to have to deal with. Why
give teachers more problems? In addition, this can increase rape at school as well as bullying.
Another issue I see with this bill is that it starts with kindergarten, which makes little five or six
year olds exposed to transgenderism. I don't believe this is a good idea because they are innocent
children that may grow up thinking they are transgender when they are not giving children the
wrong idea.
In addition when it comes to sex-segregated activities like sports, males shouldnt be in a
girls team and girls shouldnt be in a boys team. There is a reason why there are female and male
teams. Even if a male is transforming into a female, he still has the ability of a male. Likewise, a
female will never naturally be born with or have the same ability as a male because of
testosterone. However, I believe this should only be allowed in football because there is no female
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football team and some girls enjoy playing football. Another issue with this is that transgender
individuals would be allowed to go to whichever dressing room they choose for physical
education or sports. The idea of having a male that is transforming into a female just doesnt
sound appropriate as teenagers nor as adults. There is a reason why the dressing rooms are sex-
segregated. If you have male body parts then you belong in the male dressing room. If you have
female parts then you belong in a female dressing room regardless of who you might be.
Basically there is no positive side to this new law because even though it gives transgender
people freedom it will also give perverts that same freedom. Transgender people should just be
happy with being a transgender in public. They have the freedom to dress up as whatever they
want to be and become that by taking hormones and undergoing surgeries. They shouldnt have
the right to choose whichever bathroom or sports team they want to be on. This is an invasion of
privacy for straight people! It is unfair that transgender individuals get "special" rights at school
and I believe the AB1266 should be vetoed from public schools.. This new law has severe
opposition in school districts around the state. Catholics, conservative groups and Hispanic voters
have expressed concerns over this bill that they reasonably believe poses a risk to childrens
emotional welfare and safety (Brice 1). Religious groups as well as conservative families have
begun filing petitions and complaints to local school boards and to their states office of civil
rights, claiming that school districts are violating the states privacy laws, and that the new law
violates their childrens rights to privacy (Brice 1).
Likewise, there has been a state legislator, John Kavanagh that has been promoting an anti-
transgender bill in Arizona. This harsh anti-transgender bill aimed at prosecuting transgender
people for using a public restroom if their gender appearance didn't match the gender on their
identification (Signorile 1). The state legislator, John Kavanagh has been accused of
discriminating against transgender people, nonetheless, I believe this bill only protects the rights
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and especially the privacy of those who are normatively gendered. This bill that is being proposed
provides safety for normatively gendered citizens against the people that are transgendered. It is
not right for a man to dress up as a woman and be able to enter the female restroom. Even if the
man dressed up isnt a pervert, I still dont see it right for a man to be in the womens bathroom.
That is why males and females have separate restrooms, so they could be separate.
In a similar situation, Persepolis 2 takes place during a time and place when there is no
civil rights nor religious freedom, Tehran 1980s. The people like Marjane, the main character of
the story, couldnt truly express themselves in anyway especially not with a different gender as
they were born with. A chapter in the book, The Makeup mentioned that two guys who were
friends got stopped and questioned by guardians of the revolution during a routine check to see
what their relationship was. They pretended to be gay to have a little fun with the guards. The two
guys mentioned they were friends that go out together (Satrapi 135). However, being
something else than straight like gay or transgender was a crime in Tehran. The two guys were
beaten because if a persons sexuality wasnt straight it was against the law and punishable.
During this time religion played a big role. They lived in a time where many were conservative to
a point where the women wore veils. They believed God made them a certain way for a reason and
there was always a theme of moral and religious conduct they had to follow. With that being said,
being transgendered would be considered unlawful during that time in history because it was
believed God didnt accept them; God made a person they way they were born for a reason.
Some may say that some transgendered people were born that way. The only reason that
is possible is if they were born as hermaphrodites. Hermaphrodite-an individual in which
reproductive organs of both sexes are present- is the only type of person that should be
contemplating what their true gender identity is. For example, a woman born with ovaries and a
penis would be considered a hermaphrodite. It is difficult to determine what an individuals true
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gender is when they are born with biological parts of both genders. On the contrary, those born as
a female or male shouldnt have any trouble identifying with their true gender because they were
born with it. Intersexuals or hermaphrodites should choose the gender they represent the most.
Whatever their gender is, then they should choose the bathrooms that fit their true gender.
The result of all this would be that transgendered individuals shouldnt change how they
were born. A person is born with a gender identity-which is given to you at birth-unless you are a
hermaphrodite. Transgendered individuals shouldnt be given special rights because they are not
their true selves. They shouldnt be given special rights because they believe their gender isnt
their true identity. By accepting who they really are would stop all discrimination and unnecessary
bills that helps transgender people. They need to accept their true gender whether it is male or
female, they were born that way for a reason.
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Works Cited
Brice, Brandon. "California's K-12 Transgender Bathroom Bill Sparks War on Privacy
Rights." Washington Times Communities. The Washington Times Communities, 4 Dec.
2013. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
"Hermaphrodite." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 31 Mar. 2014.
Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis 2. New York: Pantheon Books, 2004. Print.
Signorile, Michelangelo. "John Kavanagh, Arizona State Representative, Defends Transgender
Bathroom Bill." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 03 Apr. 2013. Web. 31
Mar. 2014.
"What's the Difference between Being Transgender or Transsexual and Having an Intersex
Condition?" Intersex Society of North America. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.