Legislation to block transgender people from using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity is a priority for Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who says it’s an issue of protecting women.
But the business community and families with transgender members intend to flood the Capitol this session to oppose it.

Garrett Gantt, Transgender Student:
“Kids are very cruel just by nature and when you put a target on some student’s back, it’s going to really damage them.”
Garrett Gantt, a senior at Flower Mound High School, admits he struggled with his identity as he made his way through grade school.

Garrett Gantt, Transgender Student
“The prior year I was hospitalized for severe depression and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. That following January, I realized I just couldn’t hide it anymore because if I did, I’d probably end up dead.”

Born Gillian Marie, Gantt told his parents last January that he identified more as a boy than as a girl.
Gantt says school officials have been very accepting of his transition, including letting him use the boys’ restroom.
– An accommodation that could soon be against the law.

Garrett Gantt, Transgender Student
“It’s nothing more than state-mandated bullying.” (2:15)

SOT Floyd Gantt, Father of Transgender Son
“The fact that it is an issue is the issue. I think a lot of politicians are just appealing to a certain base that that’ll resonate with.” (2:30)

TRACK
Gantt’s parents and more than 200 other families of transgender
students across the state are mobilizing to oppose a bill that would mandate people use the bathroom that corresponds with their sex at birth.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, (R) Texas:
“It’s not about a transgender issue. It’s not about discrimination. It’s about protecting women.”

Ahead of the session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick listed as a legislative priority the need to ensure that women and girls should have privacy and safety in their restrooms, showers and locker rooms.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, (R) Texas:
“Transgender people have obviously been going into the ladies’ room for a long time and there really hasn’t been an issue that I know of. But if laws are passed by cities and counties or school districts that allow men to go into a bathroom because of the way they feel, we will not be able to stop sexual predators from taking advantage of that law like sexual predators take advantage of the internet.”

Chuck Smith, Equality Texas CEO:
“It’s spiteful and harmful legislation that is not related to a real problem.”

Equality Texas leaders say the bill is born out of fear and a misunderstanding of what it means to be a transgender person.
That’s why the organization is focused on educating parents and lawmakers.
They’ve also argued that Republicans haven’t been able to point to any evidence that sexual predators are taking advantage.

Chuck Smith, Equality Texas CEO:
“We’re seeing dozens of parents now stepping forward because they truly believe that the efforts of the lieutenant governor are putting their children in danger.”

Chris Wallace, President, Texas Association of Business:
“Basically, if it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it.”

Members of the business community say the economic fallout from such a law would be devastating.
…Losing as many as 185,000 jobs and 8-point-5 billion in state revenue.
When North Carolina passed similar legislation last year, the NCAA moved its basketball championships out of state, PayPal scrapped plans to expand operations there, and Google Ventures made clear it would refuse to invest in any local startups as long as the law was in place.

Chris Wallace, President, Texas Association of Business:
“We do not need to do anything that would brand Texas as appearing to be unwelcoming for all workers.”

Garrett Gantt, Transgender Student:
“I think it’s partially about being afraid of what you don’t understand.”

Garrett Gantt says he’s preparing to graduate in the spring and hopes to continue to serve as a mentor for kids like him who could be subject to such a law, should it pass.

Garrett Gantt, Transgender Student:
“The truth is there are no logistics to it. It’s purely based on emotion, mostly fear. I'm hoping that I can provide a somewhat logical voice but also provide a face to let people know how exactly this affects the people they’re attacking and segregating.”


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