“The Left Is Proving They Would Rather Push Their Woke Agenda Instead of Addressing Real Problems”: California Schools To Have Gender Neutral Bathrooms

Jo ShawNov 9, 2023

Minute Read

Governor Newsom of California recently enacted legislation mandating the inclusion of gender-neutral restroom facilities in schools. This bill, introduced in February, stipulates that all school campuses providing kindergarten through 12th-grade classes must have at least one gender-neutral bathroom accessible to students during school hours by the year 2026.

Bathroom Must Align With Student’s Gender Identity

The new legislation extends the scope of a law from a decade ago, which mandates that K-12 schools permit students to use the restroom corresponding to their gender identity.

School District to Restrict Trans Students’ Access to Facilities

The bill, which explicitly mandates the inclusion of an extra gender-neutral alternative, was prompted by Chino Valley Unified School District’s efforts to limit transgender students’ access to specific restrooms.

Action Requiring Schools to Inform Parents

This law was signed to create more support systems for LGBTQ+ youth. Chino Valley Unified School District had attempted to take action that would mandate schools to inform parents when their children used a bathroom different from the gender listed on official documents.

Chino Valley’s Resolution Was Unlawful

The Chino Valley school board put forth a resolution. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond cautioned the school district that the resolution violated the law. Although the school district’s proposal did not succeed, it catalyzed the California Governor’s bill.

Ensuring the Well-Being of LGBTQ+ Students

Newman said, “Let’s face it — at some point during a typical 8-hour school day, everyone is going to have to go. By requiring all California K-12 schools to provide gender-inclusive restroom facilities on campus, we’ll ensure the well-being of our LGBTQ+ and non-binary students and ensure safer school communities for everyone.”

A Lack of Gender- Neutral Bathrooms

“Under the current law, California schools are required to give students access to a restroom that correlates to their gender. The lack of gender-neutral bathrooms in California public schools can be problematic for students who don’t identify with the traditional binary genders,” Newman has further stated.

Discriminatory Policies Are Attacking LGBTQ+ Youth

The executive director of Equality California, Tony Hoang, also came out in support of Newman, saying that California is “doubling down” against discriminatory policies and ensuring that “schools are safe for all students to succeed.”

HRC Foundation Releases Survey

The HRC Foundation collaborated with researchers from the University of Connecticut to conduct an extensive survey to document the life experiences of LGBTQ youth within their family environments, schools, and communities.

43% Of Trans Students Never Used a Bathroom Matching Their Gender Identity

According to the survey findings, approximately 43% of transgender and non-binary students have never utilized the school restroom or locker room aligned with their gender identity.

58% Do Not Feel Safe, 47% Don’t Know if They Are Allowed

The data from the survey sheds light on the challenges faced by transgender students in school environments. A significant 58% of transgender students expressed feeling unsafe when it comes to using restrooms or locker rooms that align with their gender identity. Furthermore, a concerning 38% of these students reported that their schools do not provide adequate restroom facilities that match their gender identity, or they simply lack access to them.

12% Were Told Not To

Additionally, almost half of the respondents, 47%, were uncertain about whether they were permitted to use restrooms that corresponded to their gender identity, while 12% of students were told that they weren’t allowed to use them by their teachers or school administrators.

10% Of LGBTQ Youth Say All School Staff Are Supportive

A mere 10% of LGBTQ youth reported that all of their school staff are supportive of LGBTQ students, suggesting that a significant portion of these students do not have the necessary support and understanding from the adults in their schools. Furthermore, only 27% of LGBTQ youth feel at ease discussing matters related to their LGBTQ identity with their school counselors.

Schools Should Be a Welcoming Place

California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said, “Schools should be a welcoming, safe place for all students. This includes access to bathrooms.”

A Victory for Self-Expression

In an article by Zifei Zhang and Daniel Park for USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, they reported that students saw the new legislation as “a victory for self-expression.”

Allows for More Freedom

The article quoted a Junior, Michael Kim, who explained, “I think it’s pretty cool that people are able to express their own gender identity and whatnot. It allows more freedom and less harsh restrictions on nonbinary-related genders. And it kind of sets forth like a precedent where, you know, you can express who you are and be more free with that.”

Republicans Argue Economy More Important

Republican Rep. Austin Scott had angry words for Democrats. Speaking to Fox News Digital, he said that the “left is arguing about bathrooms while our economy is in the toilet because of their reckless overspending.”

Just Another Distraction

“Inflation just hit another record high, and once again, the left is proving that they would rather push their woke agenda instead of addressing real problems for American families, he stated, claiming it was the Democrat’s attempts at “distraction” to “avoid cleaning up the mess they created.”

Democrats Peddling Woke Ideology

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik was also angered over discussions for gender-neutral toilets, stating, “Instead of proposing solutions to the crises they have created, Democrats are more concerned about peddling their woke ideology and focusing on gender-neutral bathrooms.”