It’s generally considered improper for an adult to bully or harass a child. Transgender children are still children, but they are often targeted by grown-up bullies, just for being who they are. A few weeks ago, two despicable radio hosts in Sacramento spent 30 minutes advocating child abuse against transgender kids. Rob Williams and Arnie States railed against ”allowing transgenders to exist,” urged parents of gender dysphoric children to beat it out of them, and used cruel, dehumanizing language calling for their demise: “I look forward to when they go out into society and society beats them down. And they end up in therapy.” That was one of the tamer quotes. In response, LGBT people and allies around the country contacted the program and its advertisers to protest. The hosts fauxpologized, but it’s clear they hate trans people of all ages and consider anti-trans violence hilarious.
Yesterday I read another story about a bigoted adult lashing out against a trans child. Angry that his grandson’s school allowed a transgender girl to use the girls restroom, a Maine man is on a crusade to perpetuate anti-trans discrimination and preserve cis privilege. Paul Melanson’s campaign began after his grandson was suspended for stalking his trans classmate, harassing her, and following her into the girls bathroom. He had given the boy permission to use the girls room as long as the trans girl was doing so. The man filed a complaint with the Maine Human Rights Commission, saying that not allowing his grandson to use the girls bathroom or the faculty bathroom as the other child did was a violation of the boy’s right to public accommodation under the Maine Human Rights Act. The commission decided the claim had no merit, so now Melanson is trying to get Maine moms riled up to protest the decision. This guy is going to terrorize trans kids into submission if it’s the last thing he does. I wonder where his grandson learned to be such a bully.
I’m pleased by the responses from a lot of Williams’ and States’ advertisers, and by the state of Maine. I don’t know where these cowards get off, railing against something that has fuck-all to do with them and isn’t hurting anybody. To glorify brutality against a community that’s already targeted by extreme violence is reprehensible, and just sad. I can’t imagine how these poor kids feel.
The hosts think that the transgender children need therapy? Wow. They’re the ones that need comprehensive help if they think that unprovoked, unwarranted violence and ostracism is any kind of way to “help” a person.
I have no words for the asses that are inflammatory radio hosts. Really? Does the world need them?
I read about this on Feministe. The grandfather sounds like a really hateful person, and of course is passing it on to his progeny.
The thing I thought was really interesting that was brought up in the post, though, was the suggestion of single-stall lockable bathrooms — for everyone. Honestly, it sounds like a really good idea to me (space and money issues notwithstanding). It seems like we spend a lot of time criticizing people who have problems with the way public spaces are built when it’s much easier to change buildings than people.
The story about those hateful radio hosts made me so angry when I first heard it. And this grandfather just makes my blood boil. I still have nightmares about being harassed in bathroom stalls in elementary schools by another girl. That was run-of-the-mill bullying, not harassment based on gender identity. But it horrified me to have this girl, who was a year older than I, wait until I was on the toilet before she would poke her head over or under the stalls and taunt me. It only happened a few times, but it stuck with me. I can only imagine how horrifying and invasive it must be for that poor trans girl (is that the right term…?) being harassed and followed into the bathroom by a bully, knowing that it’s based on her gender identity. My heart goes out to her.
[...] Stop bullying transgender children. [...]