Earlier this week in Boise, Idaho a student was removed from their school by their parents after they discovered that a transgender student had won the right to use the bathroom of her choice. The parents of the student sited fears over their child’s safety as the reason for removing them.
Yesterday the transgender student in question, thirteen year old D.W. Trantham, spoke out on the controversy to American news networks.
‘It was really devastating to think that parents were so scared of me and that their lack of understanding led them to take their child out of school,’ she said. ‘Coming from a person who was sexually assaulted in bathrooms for being trans I care about bathroom safety. I’m not their to hurt anyone, and what’s between my legs is not a symbol of who I am.’
Earlier in the year D.W. would use the nurse’s office private bathroom to avoid using the male bathroom to ensure her own safety, but after a long struggle the school district has agreed to allow her to choose which bathroom facilities she can use.
Her father, Tim, also spoke on the subject and even reached out to the parents who removed their child from the school. ’I was some of those people myself at one point in my life. I didn’t understand what transgender was or the issues involved.’ He has even offered to meet with the students parents and try to help address any issues they may have and to show them that D.W. is just a regular thirteen year old girl and that they have nothing to fear from her.
D.W. has said that despite the negative response she has received she will continue to fight for transgender rights.
Amy.
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