Today the Oxford City Council recalled a controversial ordinance that would’ve forced people to use public bathrooms and changing facilities that correspond to their biological sex. WBHM’s Esther Ciammachilli was at the meeting and discusses it with WBHM Program Director Michael Krall. You can listen to their conversation above or read it below:
Refresh our memories, when did this all start?
Last week Oxford city council voted unanimously in favor of an ordinance that would’ve forced transgender residents and visitors to use public restrooms and changing facilities that correspond to the gender on their birth certificate.
Following the approval of this ordinance, there was quite a bit of backlash from LGBT advocates in both Alabama and nationally.
In response, the council president Steven Waits held a press conference basically explaining the council’s move.
He said the ordinance was about public safety, specifically protecting women and children from perverts, exhibitionists and sexual predators. He also said the law was a response to recent policy changes at major retailers like Target, that now allow transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice. And of course, Oxford does have Target store.
What happened today?
The city council called an emergency meeting today to specifically discuss this ordinance.
They received threats of legal action from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Sothern Poverty Law Center. These groups say the law violated federal anti-discrimination laws, one law in particular is Title IX.
Title IX is a federal law pertaining to education and outlines non-discrimination policies for any entities that receive government funding. Title IX does include a non-discrimination clause that protects transgender students. The U.S, Department of Education made this change in April of 2014. As a result, any public schools in Oxford that receive federal money and have public restrooms and facilities covered under the blanket of this ordinance, would be in violation of Title IX. And the city attorney did recommend recalling the law for this reason.
In response the Oxford city council voted today 3-2 in favor of a recall. The two dissenting votes came from pres Steven Waits and councilman Chris Spurlin who said the ordinance should be amended, NOT recalled.
What does this mean going forward?
One council member suggested talking to state legislators about possibly creating laws to protect against sexual predators. Again insinuating that transgender people are sexual predators, which advocates for that community find offensive and disheartening. But at this time, the law is recalled and that’s where the city of Oxford stands on that issue. Although they voted in favor of a recall, they did so begrudgingly.