A bill introduced in California now means that transgender students can use facilities at school based on their own gender identity rather than their biological gender.

This includes the use of toilets and lockers rooms, as well as participating in sports teams that match their own gender recognition.

State law already disallows discrimination based on gender identity, supporters of the new bill emphasised the new legislation will further halt inequality.  

“Transgender boys are boys, and transgender girls are girls, and the bill ensures they are treated as such”, explained Masen Davis, executive director of the Transgender Law Service.

Advocates also emphasised that transgender students forced to use facilities that do not match up with their gender identity are more likely to feel unsafe and participate less in school activities.

Those opposing the bill claim that the legislation will result in males and females sharing locker room and toilet facilities, Karen England, the executive director of the Captal Resource Institute, believes the legislation could be open for abuse by students.

“It is solely at the discretion of their opinion of themselves… we should not be mandating state law based on that”.

Nadine Walker