By John Mack Freeman
Anti-trans bathroom bills were passed by portions of the legislature in both the state of Kentucky and Canada this week.
In Kentucky, the state Senate voted 27-9 (all Democrats and three Republicans opposed) to allow a bill that would require students to use the bathroom assigned to their biological sex rather than to their gender identity. The bill is unlikely to become a law as the Democrat-controlled state House has indicated they are unwilling to take up consideration of the bill.
In Canada, the trans-human rights bill that is under consideration has been amended to make it a crime to allow trans people to use the washrooms and gendered spaces that conform to their gender identity. Although this ban would only apply to federal government controlled spaces, it is a terrible signal and example to send to the rest of the country. The amendment passed 6-4-1. Another amendment would strip the meaning of gender identity out of the bill.
Now that the bill has been amended, it will return to the House of Commons that originally passed it. Individuals there see it unlikely to pass due to the changes that have been made since the House of Commons originally passed the bill.
