Oregon outlines sweeping protections for transgender students
Source: The Guardian
Oregon outlines sweeping protections for transgender students
Guidelines a contrast to anti-LGBT policies in other states as officials
say schools should protect students rights to use bathrooms that
match their identities
Sam Levin in San Francisco
Friday 6 May 2016 21.42 BST
Oregon schools should protect transgender students rights to use bathrooms that match their identities, according to sweeping new guidelines that provide a sharp contrast to recent anti-LGBT policies across the country.
The states department of education, which sets standards for 197 public school districts, published extensive protocols on Thursday aimed at creating a safe and supportive school environment for transgender students by allowing them access to appropriate restrooms, locker rooms and sports teams and by respecting their preferred names and gender pronouns.
The state issued the 15-page report in the same week that the justice department informed North Carolina that its controversial anti-trans bathroom bill which forces trans people to use restrooms that correspond to the sex assigned to them at birth violates the US Civil Rights Act and is unenforceable.
By adopting the HB2 law, North Carolina risks losing $861m in federal funding for schools and could, according to advocates, increase rates of suicide among trans youth.
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Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/06/oregon-transgender-students-protection-guidelines