Gavin Grimm is a young transgender man who wants to use the restroom of the gender that he identifies, and not the one he was assigned at birth. This may sound like a logical idea, but in this day and age, the question of who can pee where has become a national debate.
Gavin Grimm is a Virginia high school senior. He has a lot on his mind. Like which courses to take, which colleges to apply to, who he should ask to the prom.
The question of where he should take care of nature’s calls shouldn’t be a big issue for him. But it is.
Gavin is transgender. He wants to go to the bathroom with the boys. He looks like a boy, feels like a boy, acts like a boy.
Buzzfeed is reporting that U.S. District Court Judge Robert Doumar has issued an injunction preventing Gavin’s school from discriminating against him while the case makes its way through the courts.
Gavin reacted to the ruling by saying:
“I am elated to hear that I’ll be able to attend my senior year of high school with my full rights restored. After nearly two years of humiliation and intense struggle, equality has finally prevailed. Now hopefully other transgender individuals will not have to face this type of discrimination.”
Gavin had sued his school district because of a policy that prevented students from using the restroom that corresponded to their gender identity. Like recent laws throughout the southern states, this law tried to force transgender people to use the restroom that matched the gender they were assigned at birth.
People like Gavin have been outraged, embarrassed and humiliated by such laws.
Gavin had sued the district with the help and support of the ACLU. They had claimed that the decision to force him to use the girl’s restroom violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the equal protection law of the 14th Amendment.
In this case, the underlying issues haven’t been settled yet, and will slowly wend their way through the courts. In the meantime, though, the court has ordered that the school allow this one brave young man to use the restroom of his choice.
The court order reads:
“This Court, pursuant to Title IX, hereby ORDERS that Gloucester County School Board permit the plaintiff, G.G., to use the boys’ restroom at Gloucester High School until further order of this Court.”
This is a small but incredibly important victory for the rights of our transgender youth.
Go, Gavin! We are all proud of you!
Featured image via YouTube screengrab.
