Florida Bathroom Ban Now In Effect: Enforcement Likely To Be A Disaster

[icymist]

Transgender people in the state of Florida now face arrest as the nation’s first bathroom ban that contains a criminal penalty takes into effect. House Bill 1521, which carries the unprecedented weight of criminal penalties for noncompliance, took effect at midnight on Friday. The legislation mandates that transgender individuals must use public restrooms that correspond with the sex assigned to them at birth, even if they have legally updated their gender markers on their birth certificates and drivers licenses. Should a transgender person use the bathroom of their gender identity at the same time as a cisgender person, they can be forced to leave. Should they not comply, they will be charged with trespassing - a crime in Florida punishable by up to a year in jail.

Though Florida’s bathroom ban does not apply everywhere, it casts a wide net, covering an extensive array of public restrooms including those in city parks, beaches, airports, government buildings, and educational institutions. Transgender women changing clothes before going out on the beach, for instance, will be forced to use the male bathroom to do so - regardless of any legal gender markers on their documents. Transgender men will likewise be forced to do the same. These provisions could lead to incredibly uncomfortable scenarios.

...A non-comprehensive list of facilities affected can be seen here:

Conference Centers owned or leased by the state, including large ones such as the Orange County Convention Center and the Miami Beach Convention Center

Airports that are publicly owned, which encompasses the majority of Florida airports.

Schools and universities including private schools and universities in the state.

City Parks and Beach Bathrooms of which there are thousands in Florida.

City and state government buildings including state courthouses, the state legislature, city halls, and more.

Stadiums that are owned or leased by state or local governments, including the Tampa Bay Rays Tropicana Field, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium, and more.

Rest Stops and Service Stations of which many exist along the Florida turnpike.

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