This argument of the boy who wants to get in the girl room is disgustingly misrepresentation of the trans community. Yes, if my son wanted to shower with the girls i'd raise an eyebrow but when your child born with male genitalia turns out to have a female gender identity then that person is not your son, they are you daughter. Do you want your daughter (who likely is suffering from extreme anxiety and depression already) to have to shower with the guys? Let me tell you what that is like... It is terrifying and very upsetting.

Yes I live with a diagnosis. the fact that it is a diagnosis is unfortunate but if you want to get down to medical facts a procedures there is 1 was to treat people with GID and that is for them to transition. You do not treat schizophrenic people by acknowledging their disillusion nor more then you treat depression by acknowledging saying, "hey your life really does suck"... Likewise you do not treat GID by forcing the person to live in a way that is contrary to every fiber of their being. GID is not a delusional and it is not a sickness... So my response to your very narrow minded notion is that since the only treatment for GID is transition that yes it is the responsibility of the law to ensure that those people undergoing this process are offered the same rights as everyone else!

The only other solution (and I am all for it) is to completely remove GID from the DSM. Either way... Trans people deserve their rights!

This guy has no idea what he is talking about. I did not know Patch.com would become a forum for bigotry. There is nothing wrong with being transgendered. The only thing 'wrong' with it is how other people treat those who are transgendered. Speaking from experience as a 34 year old transgendered person, I am thoroughly insulted and horrified that Patch.com would condone a message like this. I've experienced so much discrimination, hatred, ridicule and even come close to others escalating their behavior to violence, at every stage of my life, just for being who I naturally am, yet I am still here, and there is nothing wrong with me. I am guessing that most of the opposition to this bill comes from fear. The author of this article is ignorant. The DSM-IV is outdated, and anyone who has spoken with a knowledgeable professional psychiatrist or psychologist can tell you that it is not much to work with. The update is, from what I hear, not much of an improvement. People are people. As long as they are not harming anyone, then they should be able to do what they wish. What are you afraid of? How is it going to affect you? See, there is nothing in this article that tells me how the author himself will be negatively affected by this bill. He is only 'concerned' for the people who are transgendered, and would like to institutionalize them with his 'concern.' I am certain he is not a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist or medical professional.

The author of this article is ignorant of the issues facing the transgender community. As a transsexual woman, I would like to offer you the truth.

The author starts out by saying that there is a budget crisis. So, according to the author, if there is a budget deficit the legislature should stop passage of any legislation that is designed to extend the freedoms and protections guaranteed under the constitution. Were that to be the case, most legislatures would have their hands tied every session. It is clear that it doesn’t cost money to broaden protection of freedom.

Yes, gender identity disorder is indeed a recognized psychological condition. Those of us who suffer from it are not confused about it. We face prejudice because of it. This article is in fact a prime example of the tactics that those who oppose our very existence would use in misrepresenting the facts. The laws that are proposed are designed to protect us so that we can lead decent and productive lives in society, as we deserve. We want to be allowed to contribute, to remove the obstacles that we face.

Showers have no bearing on this issue, as the law does not extend to that area. The mention of a boy showering with your daughter is yet another scare tactic. Don't be misguided, educate yourself on the issue.

Support for HB6599 is a vote for human rights and a blow against transphobia.

The author clearly has not done their homework or bothered to actually *read* anything about transgender people. Additionally, please actually LOOK at a copy of the DSM. It is termed "Gender Identity Disorder," not "Sexual Identity Disorder."

Your questions about prisoners, locker rooms, etc. have all been addressed many times over in a myriad of forums. That you are even asking these questions further proves that you are basing this entire essay on personal discomfort rather than educated fact.

Your bathroom argument is flawed and, as usual, focusing on the smallest point of a bill that provides civil rights protections for a group of people vulnerable to losing housing, employment, etc.

But to humor your line of thinking... Do you propose that we have someone at the entrance to public restrooms checking genitalia of everyone who enters? You argue that people should be using the bathroom designated for their birth sex. So, you would argue that a female-to-male transsexual use the women's bathroom? Because I highly doubt that I would be welcome in the women's restroom when I look like this: http://bit.ly/ik9s1X

Do your research and try actually *talking* to some trans people. You might be surprised by what you could learn if you show even the slightest inclination to do so.

The author is so uneducated on GID that I am not going to leave a useful comment. Good grief. Lets not let science stand in the way of your bigotry, shall we?

As a social worker, I can tell you that the author has no understanding of what he is talking about and it looks like he just copied from the FIC Fact Sheets.

Rhode Island passed a similar bill in 2005 and none of what the author has said has happened

G1
Simply reading a book [the DSM] does not confer either knowledge or understanding. It only conveys information that without the requisite background or fundamental knowledge of the subject matter renders recital of the content void of real meaning. I can read a book on cardiac surgery, it doesn’t mean I’m a cardiac surgeon or know what a heart attack feels like. Reading the DSM and then construing that the word ‘disorder’ means the person is actually disordered truly means that if Mr. O’Brien did take a class on this section of the DSM he would receive a grade of F-. It’s safe to say that of the over 300 Transgender people I know, they are no more disordered than the person reading this missive.

<Confabulation is also mentioned in the DSM, but I’m not an expert on that and I’m not pointing any fingers at anyone.>

G2
I think I am an expert on being different. Because not everyone who is affected by this possible law is Transgender. Some of us are born Intersex. That’s where a person has a naturally blended gender or non-congruent gender. I went to school or worked with people who were gendered male at birth, but were really female or were gendered female at birth but were really male. In these instances the social system NEEDS to be flexible. Looking at their genitals or their genes is not the full story.

[Fun Fact: All mammals starting from conception to a certain point of gestation are ALL female.]

I grew up dealing with these issues. They are hard issues to deal with. There are no easy answers to these situations. To cast dispersions on others as ‘less than’ while speaking from ignorance really smacks of simple minded bigotry. It overlooks the basic premise that I am a citizen entitled to the full and equal protection of the law. All too frequently I see those protections are laid aside because I am different.
I’m tired of ignorant know-nothings who are simply louder being given credence over those of us who are knowledgeable and have dealt with these issues first hand.

That’s why this bill MUST pass, so I and others like me are protected from those who would prefer to keep us unemployed, homeless AND IN JAIL FOR DARING TO USE THE BATHROOM!

In my experience those who complain about recognizing the needs of marginalized groups such as transsexuals and transgender individuals tend to suffer from mental illness. The types of mental illness could range from a feeling that they are gods personal representative to they are a self appointed social and moralvigilante with or without blaming god for there actions ( extremely delusional and dangerous when given the chance). These people should be handled carefully and should not be encouraged to act out there beliefs by government. History bears witness that when people like these gain ground in government and moral issues bad things happen.

I won't even dignify this idiotic dribble about bathrooms with remarks addressing that tired old meme. More importantly, I smell a rat. Could the author be Christopher O'Brien from Wolcott, the son of Bill O'Brien (R-80 Wolcott/Southington) who was endorsed by the Family Institute of Connecticut Action Committee (FICAC) in the past? State coordinator for both John McCain and Mike Huckabee in 2008, and Tom Foley and Mark Boughton last year? It seems that Mr. O'Brien a shill for the Family Institute of Connecticut.

Human rights protections are necessary exactly because this irrational fear and bigotry persists. This legislation is necessary exactly because trans people are labeled as sexual predators and child predators, or are called "sick," "perverse," and "freaks." This legislation is necessary exactly because people become so clouded with assumptions and myths that they argue for our deliberate exclusion from human rights under the pretext that granting them would be "dangerous" or "scary." This legislation is necessary exactly because this bias is so entrenched that people think nothing about broadcasting it openly as though fact. This legislation is necessary exactly because this "ick factor" response is seen as justification for not allowing an entire group of people to share the same space, to terminate their employment, deny them medical care, access to credit, or to evict them. This legislation is necessary exactly because it is so pervasive that discrimination becomes not only likely but inevitable - especially if there is no explicit direction in law to the contrary on the matter.

I'm not going to repeat what has been said already. I just want to add that it's sad when people think that recognizing my rights will somehow infringe on yours. Yes, I am a transsexual.

Christ said to love your neighbours as yourself and I'm not feeling a lot of love here.

Mr O'Brien, like every other person who opposes this bill using a "predators in bathrooms" meme, is engaging in irrational fear mongering and is obviously motivated by animus against the transgender community. I come to this conclusion because he, like all the others, ignores the very real fact that almost 125 states, counties, cities and towns already have nondiscrimination laws that include gender identity (the first one was passed in 1976!) yet not one of the doomsday scenarios he has predicted have ever come to pass.

All of his points engage in imagination, speculation and appeals to irrational emotion as their basis. There's no fact behind them. This bill is vitally necessary and should be made into law as soon as possible.

Believe me, Chrissy when I say that your comments are so full of manure, you can fertilize virtually *every* flower bed in town and have enough left over to cover then entire state!

I won't dignify your pathetic little rant with a response other than the fact you can get help to get over your irrational phobia of transfolk. There should be a number of psychiatrists in the city to treat you for your delusions at reasonable rates.

I am a therapist specializing in gender identity. Gender Identity Disorder is a diagnosis describing the distress felt by transsexual individuals as a result of a discordance between the sex of one's body and one's inner felt gender identity. Treatment involves a mental health evaluation followed by medical care to help the body conform to the person's gender identity. As a result of treatment the individual is able to live in accordance with his or her inner sense of gender. The distress is thereby relieved and the diagnosis no longer applies.
I have counseled many transgender teenagers and young adults and their families. Research by the Family Acceptance Project has shown that transgender youths who are rejected by their families are at high risk of depression, substance abuse and self-harm. Letters like the one written by Mr. O'Brien cause damage if they convince even one parent to view a transgender child as mentally ill or not worthy of support. Fortunately, it seems that the majority of our state legislators are able understand and support transgender anti-discrimiation legislation, which will help to eliminate the hostile climate transgender people experience.
Irwin Krieger, LCSW

Transgendered Men and women don't suffer from Sexual Identity Disorder, they suffer from Gender Identity Disorder. Second, the disorder isn't a mental disorder but a medical disorder. yes the transgender men and women are treated by Psychologists but for a medical treatment. Yes the A.M.A. considers Gender Identity Disorder a Psychological disorder, the I.M.A. however has changed the status from Psychological to a Medical Disorder. The A.M.A. is in the process of changing their views on the Disorder and may have it changed in a few years. The Transgendered females have used the women's bathrooms for many years and there has been no reports of problems with the other female's in the restrooms. This has been a scare tactic of some churches and bigoted people to keep equal rights away from the G.L.B.T. community. If you read the entire Bible, there isn't any passage that talks Hell and damnation of the Transgendered. The term Transgender is an umbrella term covering any Gender non-conforming Individuals. People; THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BINARY GENDER. Take the intersexual individual for instance. To put it simply, He or She is born with both genders but they fall under the term of Transgendered. Do your homework. study the many individuals that fall under the term of Transgendered. That is if you are interested and open minded.

There is not much I can add to this except to state that there are 13 states in the U.S. that provide legal protections for those undergoing transition to use the bathroom of their target gender. To date, over a fifteen year period, there has not been a single case of a trans person assaulting or sexually molesting a little girl, although there have been numerous cases where trans people have been assaulted while taking care of their own needs, like any other woman. Child molestation is generally perpetrated by heterosexual males that have fixated upon the feminine characteristics of young boys or the youth of young girls. I would be much more worried about my son going into a public mens room, or my daughter using a playground without my supervision than I would about my daughter being abducted and raped by a trans woman using a women's room in the mall. Trans people are generally using hormones and are sexually impotent while preoperative. This is demagoguery of the lowest form.

The author of the article has not researched very well and does not seem to understand what the information is saying. Being transgender is a gender issue not a sex issue. A male or female recognize they are in the wrong body and should be living the opposite of what their physical presentation is. All of that is correctable given time and money. The vast majority of transgender are never seen yes they have jobs are married and live full productive lives. To bad this author has no sense of a transgender and thus should not have written about it.