Trans Woman Challenges Texas Bathroom Decision

A transgender woman has challenged Houston's recent vote on equal rights protection by asking, "Houston, do you REALLY want me in the same restroom as your husband or boyfriend?”

On Tuesday, Houston shot down HERO, Houston's Equal Rights Ordinance, by a wide margin.  HERO was designed to prevent discrimination based on race, age, military status, disability and 11 other categories, and would allow transgender people to use the bathroom of the gender they identify as.  Opponents of HERO who fought against the ordinance were accused of fear mongering by saying it would allow child molesters access to children in bathrooms.

54-year-old Kelly Lauren from Chicago, who has been performing in drag for 37 years, posted a picture to Facebook showing the flaw she perceives in Houston's refusal to pass HERO.  The picture, taken by Matthew Mills as part of a class project, shows Lauren in a men's room with other men, which she'd be expected to do without the protection of HERO,

I am transgender... The picture was taken several months ago but I re-posted it when all of this nonsense happened... All I have to say is that I would get in way more trouble in the men's room than I could ever possibly in the women's restroom because I am THAT kind of girl! [laughs]

Michael Hughes, a transgender man from Minnesota, has gained attention for a similar campaign, taking pictures of himself in women's restrooms and posting them with the hashtag #WeJustNeedToPee.

via Huffington Post