The legislation takes aim directly at trans individuals using the restroom or locker rooms, threatening those who “knowingly” and “willfully” enter facilities designated for the “opposite biological sex” with prison time. A first offense would count as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. Those caught using the bathroom in repeated offenses, however, could be convicted as felons and face up to five years in prison.
It’ll be interesting to see how this aligns with the Full Faith and Credit clause for someone who updates their birth certificate from another state that allows for that then uses the bathroom that aligns with said certificate.
Once, I was told by the manager of a place I was at that I had to use the women’s bathroom. A cis man followed me in and beat me, only stopping when a woman told him to get out. I was a minor at the time, 15 or 16. He was a grown ass adult. This was all the way back in 2012, I’m pretty sure. Never used public bathrooms again until I left the US last year.
So, I guess if you’re a trans man, your choices are to comply with the law and get beaten (even if you’re a child, since as we know, this is all to protect the kids after all) or to not comply and get fined/arrested.
It’s two shitty choices: Use the one that people seem to see you as and be terrified someone will challenge your right to be there the whole time, or go in the one that you clearly don’t look like and have your ID ready for anyone who challenges your right to be there. Dystopian police state BS!