Transgender Menace-Conservatives Unite in Outrage
Now that Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a new state law that will allow transgender K-12 students to access the restroom or locker room that corresponds to their gender identity, conservative legal groups are fighting back, and, surprisingly, Fox News correspondents have joined in the determined struggle to be outraged.
Though this law will certainly raise transgender awareness and help to reduce the severity with which transgendered people are bullied, some conservatives feel the measure goes too far.
"There is such an impetus to pander to political correctness," said Fox News commentator Michelle Malkin.
Malkin spoke on the morning opinion talk show, "Fox & Friends," by far the highest-rated cable show in its time slot.
"I think this is social engineering run amuck," he said. "Apparently according to the bill that was signed, transgender is defined anyway they want to! As long as a child has the self-perception that they are transgender, they will be able to go into any bathroom that they want. Really, I think it's a usurpation of local, parental and community control."
Co-host Eric Bolling is also outraged by the new law and said it comes with risks: Parents may now be required to teach their children of the existence of transgendered people.
"Five year olds are exposed to: What is transgender?" he asked. He then spoke from the perspective of the confused child and said, "'Hey, Mommy, what is transgender? Am I transgender? It's very scary!'"
Bolling also echoed the spokesman of the Family Research Council, Peter Sprigg, in his sentiment that this whole thing is a "slippery slope."
Commentator Gretchen Carison also gave her two cents on the issue and said, "We know that kids like to pull pranks. Can you imagine-not that I did any thing like this-[but] can you imagine... the boys want to go into the girls bathroom and the girls want to go into the boys bathroom."
"They can just say, 'Oh, well, I was transgender for the moment,'" Carlson, who is regarded as "the voice of reason" on the program, added.
This was a particular problem for Bolling because transgender students people may be running around exposing their genitalia to unwilling viewers.
"How many sexual harassment cases are going to come up where he exposed himself to me and I didn't want to see it?" questioned Bolling. "'Well what were you doing in the boys bathroom?'"
Looking to make certain these law suits happen is Brad Dacus of Pacific Justice Institute, a conservative legal group based in Sacramento. The "institute" issued a news release soliciting plaintiffs, non-transgender people who have been bullied by the presence of transgendered people in their bathroom.
"It is irresponsible to have this kind of legislation," Dacus told Fox News, "that grotesquely violates the privacy rights and security interests and need of students who are changing, who are using their bathrooms."