Congress Remembers Trans People On Day Of Remembrance…By Banning Them From Bathrooms

November 20, 2024• byMichael Strangeways

Nothing says “Hey! We remember you!” like banning you from using the bathroom that matches your gender identity! Today, November 20th, is the Transgender Day of Remembrance and while LGBTQ+ communities and allies remember transgender lives lost, the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson announced today that all single sex bathrooms are restricted to “individuals of that biological sex”.

Via https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5000006-speaker-johnson-transgender-bathroom-policy/

“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” Johnson said. “It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol…Women deserve women’s only spaces,” he added.

Johnson’s comment comes just a few days after Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced a bill into the House to ban transgender women from using women’s restrooms. Mace’s bigoted act comes as a response to the recent election of Sarah McBride, the newly elected Congressperson from Delaware who became the first elected openly transgendered person in Congress.

Meanwhile, folks in Seattle can honor Transgender people at Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choir’s concert, THE POWER OF ME, taking place tonight at University Congregational Church in the U-District. Masking is required to attend. Tickets at https://www.stanceseattle.org/performances/the-power-of-me

Seattle’s only choir by and for transgender and nonbinary singers is excited to announce our second annual Transgender Day of Remembrance concert: The Power of Me. This evening of music and poetry is dedicated to our fallen siblings and will balance our feelings of loss with resilience and our hope for a better future.

Here’s some resources for Transgender people courtesy of GLAAD:

Resources for Transgender People

Transgender people in crisis should contact the following resources:

The Trevor Project‘s 24/7/365 Lifeline at 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) or TrevorChat, their online instant messaging option, or TrevorText, a text-based support option. If you are looking for peer support, you can visit TrevorSpace from anywhere in the world.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860
Do you live outside the United States? If so, check out The Trevor Project’s list of international resources here.

About the Author: Michael Strangeways

As the Editorial Director/Co-Owner, Michael Strangeways writes, edits and does about a million other jobs for Seattle Gay Scene, Puget Sound's most visited LGBTQ news, arts and entertainment website now celebrating its 14th year as a media outlet. A semi-proud Midwesterner by birth, he's lived in Seattle since 2000. He's also a film producer who would like you to check out the Jinkx Monsoon documentary, "Drag Becomes Him" now available on Amazon.com. In his spare time, he gets slightly obsessive about his love for old movies, challenging theater, "otters", vodka, chocolate, "I,Claudius", Lizzie Borden, real books made out of paper, disaster films, show tunes, Weimar era Germany, flea markets, pop surrealistic art, the sex lives of Hollywood actors both living and dead, kitties, chicken fried steak, haute couture and David Bowie. But, not necessarily in that order.