World News | Mississippi Governor Signs Law Restricting Transgender People's Use of Bathrooms and Locker Rooms
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has said that he has signed a new law regulating transgender people's use of bathrooms, locker rooms, and dormitories in public education buildings, making Mississippi at least the 12th state to restrict transgender students from using facilities that align with their gender identity.
Jackson (Mississippi), May 14 (AP) Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has said that he has signed a new law regulating transgender people's use of bathrooms, locker rooms, and dormitories in public education buildings, making Mississippi at least the 12th state to restrict transgender students from using facilities that align with their gender identity.
Reeves criticised a federal regulation banning blanket policies that bar transgender students from school bathrooms aligning with their gender, among other provisions. Republican attorneys general from Mississippi and some other states are challenging the federal regulation.
“It's mind-blowing that this is what Joe Biden's America has come to," Reeves wrote on social media. “Having to pass common-sense policies that protect women's spaces was unimaginable a few years ago. But here we are ... we have to pass a law to protect women in bathrooms, sororities, locker rooms, dressing rooms, shower rooms, and more.”
The law requires all public education institutions in the state to equip their buildings with single-sex bathrooms, changing areas, and dormitories, as well as at least one gender-neutral bathroom and changing room.
The new law, which took effect immediately, says people would only be allowed to enter spaces that correspond to their sex assigned at birth, regardless of their appearance or any procedures they've had to affirm their gender identity. Those who violate the policy could be sued, but schools, colleges, and universities would be protected from liability.
It also declares that people are either male or female "as observed or clinically verified at birth, without regard to a person's psychological, chosen, or subjective experience, feelings, actions, or sense of self.”
During legislative debate, Democrats said the new restrictions on bathrooms and other facilities would put transgender people at risk. They also criticised Republicans for spending time on the issue as other legislative priorities remained unfinished.
In 2021, Reeves signed legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing on girls' or women's sports teams. Last year, he signed a bill to ban gender-affirming hormones or surgery for anyone younger than 18.
The Mississippi proposals were among several bills being considered in state legislatures around the country as Republicans try to restrict transgender people's access to gender-affirming care, bathrooms, and sports, among other things. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)