JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Missouri legislator has introduced two bills aimed at restricting public restroom use by transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.
State Rep. Jeff Pogue (R-Salem) filed the legislation Thursday that opponents call “harmful,” “demeaning” and an instrument to “create false fear” of the transgender community.
One bill (HB 1338) would require all public restrooms, other than single occupancy restrooms, to be gender-divided restrooms.
The other (HB 1339) would prohibit the appropriation or expenditure of state revenues for the purpose of creating a gender-neutral environment, unless required by a federal or state court order
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Both bills are similar to measures filed in Florida, Kentucky and Texas.
According to PROMO, Missouri’s statewide LGBT advocacy organization, transgender and gender-nonconforming people often face stress, anxiety and discrimination when accessing gender-specific bathrooms.
“These bills are intended to stoke the fear of transgender people portrayed as predators,” said PROMO Executive Director, A.J. Bockelman.
“Fourteen cities and counties in Missouri and over 200 cities and counties across the country have passed laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in public accommodations with no increase in public safety incidents. You would think the legislature had more pressing issues to address rather than pursue straw-man arguments,” he said.
