Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

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Dragon Angel
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Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Dragon Angel »

...when said sexual assaulter was not in any way trans
Seattle Times wrote:Golden Gardens attack survivor: My story was exploited in transgender-bathroom debate
Originally published March 14, 2017 at 5:43 pm Updated March 14, 2017 at 7:21 pm
Kelly Herron was injured while battling a homeless sex offender in the park’s bathroom. (Courtesy of Kelly Herron)
Kelly Herron was injured while battling a homeless sex offender in the park’s bathroom. (Courtesy of Kelly Herron)
A woman who fought off a sexual assault at a Seattle park restroom last week is now calling out a political campaign that used her story and photo to promote an initiative to restrict bathroom access for transgender people.

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Joseph O’Sullivan By Joseph O’Sullivan
Seattle Times Olympia bureau
Kelly Herron probably thought she was finished with the expletive-anchored rallying cry she yelled when fighting off a sexual assault last week.

Herron’s story went viral when she recounted on social media how she battled a homeless sex offender who had hidden in a stall in the women’s restroom at Seattle’s Golden Gardens Park.

But on Tuesday, Herron reprised her defiant words in calling on a political campaign seeking to restrict bathroom and locker-room access for transgender people to stop using her photo and story.

The Just Want Privacy campaign, which is trying to get Initiative 1552 on the ballot, used an image showing Herron’s injuries and recounted her story in a fundraising appeal. The campaign also shared a news item on its Facebook page with Herron’s image and story.

“There are more than 1,000 registered sex offenders in WA who are listed as missing or non-compliant,” according to the Just Want Privacy post that appeared above Herron’s photo and story. “We cannot be naive and normalize the presence of males in females’ vulnerable spaces.”

But Herron didn’t know they were being used; the image that Just Want Privacy reproduced was one she had shared with news media.

In a statement through Washington Won’t Discriminate, Herron called on Just Want Privacy to issue a retraction and refund any money that was raised off her story.

“To the people behind I-1552, I say ‘Not today, mother (expletive),’ ” Herron said, using the same language she says she shouted at the man who assaulted her last week.

“I refuse to allow anyone to use me and my horrific sexual assault to cause harm and discrimination to others,” she added.

Out for a marathon-training run March 5, Herron stopped at a rest room at Golden Gardens, and after she turned on a hand-dryer, Gary Steiner emerged from a stall to attack her, according to court documents.

Herron fought back, ultimately escaped and, with the help of bystanders, locked Steiner in the restroom until police arrived, authorities said.

In denouncing the campaign’s use of her story, Herron said, “I’m more upset now than I have been all week after seeing that a political group is using my face, my name and my story to fundraise for I-1552, a ballot initiative that deliberately targets and harms transgender people — including friends whom I respect.”

The I-1552 campaign has regularly raised the issue of safety in women’s restrooms and locker rooms to promote the initiative, which would require transgender students to use school bathrooms associated with the gender of their birth, and allow businesses to set their own bathroom policies.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Just Want Privacy campaign released a statement apologizing to Herron.

“Since many of the volunteers that comprise this campaign are themselves survivors of sexual assault, the last thing we want to do is make anyone feel exploited,” the statement said. “If our actions have inadvertently failed in this effort, we are sincerely sorry.”

By Tuesday afternoon, the Facebook post featuring Herron’s story had been removed.

Through a spokeswoman for Washington Won’t Discriminate, Herron declined to speak with The Seattle Times but granted permission to use her photos for this story. The Seattle Times typically does not name victims of sexual assault, unless the victims choose to come forward, and did not name Herron in an initial story on the attack.

I-1552 would roll back a state Human Rights Commission rule issued in 2015 that guarantees people access to locker rooms and bathrooms according to the gender with which they live — as opposed to the gender with which they were born. The rule affects private and public buildings, such as schools, stores and restaurants.

Some conservatives have chafed at that, saying the commission lacked the authority to make such a rule.

The Just Want Privacy campaign has argued that the rule would allow sexual predators to more easily enter spaces like bathrooms and potentially harm women and children — and then use the rule as a loophole to escape prosecution.

Just Want Privacy unsuccessfully sought to get an initiative on the ballot last year, an effort that came after the Republican-controlled Washington Senate shot down a proposed bill that would have rolled back the commission’s regulation.

Those actions sparked the formation of Washington Won’t Discriminate, which is backed by, among others, businesses like Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Google and Microsoft.

In order to make the November ballot, Just Want Privacy must turn in 259,622 valid signatures from registered voters in Washington by July 7.
The battle just never ends does it. Now they're picking random stories that have utterly no relation to trans people to use for their agenda.
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Aether »

Maybe off topic, but are there not already laws that say it is a misdemeanor to cause a ruckus in the opposite bathroom? Or may be it falls under simple disturbance of the peace.
I know there are unisex bathrooms in parts of Europe and in Korea, so this whole bathroom/trans thing is mindless. Hell, what a father to do when he has a daughter? Or a mother who is out with her son?
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Flagg »

Aether wrote:Maybe off topic, but are there not already laws that say it is a misdemeanor to cause a ruckus in the opposite bathroom? Or may be it falls under simple disturbance of the peace.
I know there are unisex bathrooms in parts of Europe and in Korea, so this whole bathroom/trans thing is mindless. Hell, what a father to do when he has a daughter? Or a mother who is out with her son?
Well parents are understandably allowed to occompany their children into the restroom because FAMILY VALUES.

Unless the parent is a transperson. Then the kid is just a prop for the filthy sicko who is trying to peep (OR WORSE!)!

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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Aleister Crowley »

This makes little sense to me. I would readily believe someone if they said they used the bathroom that fit their gender. Why? I can see some people have to use the one that most resembles what they look like. Some people really look like women, even though they were born male. I have zero problem with them making that choice, to transition. Thus I can understand why they would choose the bathroom that resembles their chosen gender. That being said, I've seen women's bathrooms from being a janitor. They are FILTHY and nasty. They are not any cleaner than the men's room.

Also, who's gonna stop the pedophiles from going into the men's room? Boys use the men's room all the time. So...why aren't people asking to keep them seperate from the dangerous men? I think we both know why. Also homosexuals use the same bathroom...! *shriek*
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Flagg »

Aleister Crowley wrote:This makes little sense to me. I would readily believe someone if they said they used the bathroom that fit their gender. Why? I can see some people have to use the one that most resembles what they look like. Some people really look like women, even though they were born male. I have zero problem with them making that choice, to transition. Thus I can understand why they would choose the bathroom that resembles their chosen gender. That being said, I've seen women's bathrooms from being a janitor. They are FILTHY and nasty. They are not any cleaner than the men's room.

Also, who's gonna stop the pedophiles from going into the men's room? Boys use the men's room all the time. So...why aren't people asking to keep them seperate from the dangerous men? I think we both know why. Also homosexuals use the same bathroom...! *shriek*
Its just the new accepted form of homo/transphobia. They lost on anti-sodomy laws, they lost on gay marriage, and now they are fighting a losing battle on this. And they will lose the same way they lost on the other issues: They will have a friend or family member come out as trans and suddenly the scary image of the hairy chested peeper/rapist in a dress will go away and be replaced by that person they know.

The funny thing (not "haha" funny, but "sad irony" funny) is that you don't hear much complaining about (no offense meant, I don't know the appropriate term, if someone would like to correct me, please feel free) biologically female trans persons identifying as male using the men's restroom.
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Ralin »

Flagg wrote:The funny thing (not "haha" funny, but "sad irony" funny) is that you don't hear much complaining about (no offense meant, I don't know the appropriate term, if someone would like to correct me, please feel free) biologically female trans persons identifying as male using the men's restroom.
You mean a... trans man?
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Flagg »

Ralin wrote:
Flagg wrote:The funny thing (not "haha" funny, but "sad irony" funny) is that you don't hear much complaining about (no offense meant, I don't know the appropriate term, if someone would like to correct me, please feel free) biologically female trans persons identifying as male using the men's restroom.
You mean a... trans man?
I guess. I've gotten myself in trouble by accidentally using incorrect terminology and have had to apologize for 50 posts on FB for it so I walk on eggshells.
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Ralin »

Flagg wrote: I guess. I've gotten myself in trouble by accidentally using incorrect terminology and have had to apologize for 50 posts on FB for it so I walk on eggshells.
I'm going to suggest that you're a whole lot more likely to give offense with stuff like 'biologically male or female trans person.' Not that these terms are anything resembling standardized (I used 'transgendered' for years before someone asked me not to), but the whole 'biologically X' concept is a lot more loaded since it's something used as a weapon against them by transphobic people. Same as 'male bodied' and the like.
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Darth Lucifer »

Flagg wrote:...They lost on anti-sodomy laws, they lost on gay marriage, and now they are fighting a losing battle on this...
The funny thing (not "haha" funny, but "sad irony" funny) is that you don't hear much complaining about (no offense meant, I don't know the appropriate term, if someone would like to correct me, please feel free) biologically female trans persons identifying as male using the men's restroom.
Equal access to public accommodations was dealt a serious blow with the case of G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board; lower court rulings favorable to transgender persons and transgender students in particular were vacated, and the case was remanded back to the 4th Circuit because of the Trump Administrations new position for the government. Up until this point, the controlling legal principle was Auer deference but since the Obama administration's policies are being thrown out the window, there is now a long and perilous battle ahead.
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Flagg »

Ralin wrote:
Flagg wrote: I guess. I've gotten myself in trouble by accidentally using incorrect terminology and have had to apologize for 50 posts on FB for it so I walk on eggshells.
I'm going to suggest that you're a whole lot more likely to give offense with stuff like 'biologically male or female trans person.' Not that these terms are anything resembling standardized (I used 'transgendered' for years before someone asked me not to), but the whole 'biologically X' concept is a lot more loaded since it's something used as a weapon against them by transphobic people. Same as 'male bodied' and the like.
Yeah, well I know so many trans people and family members of trans people that I get conflicting information on terminology and for awhile was labeled transphobic because I used a term a trans woman publicly said was acceptable that no one at the time objected to. The language is so fluid or at least has been until very recently.

But yeah, I get how saying that can be taken as offensive given brain chemistry and genetics are biological.
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Re: Woman sexually assaulted in bathroom, anti-trans bigots use her as a prop

Post by Flagg »

Darth Lucifer wrote:
Flagg wrote:...They lost on anti-sodomy laws, they lost on gay marriage, and now they are fighting a losing battle on this...
The funny thing (not "haha" funny, but "sad irony" funny) is that you don't hear much complaining about (no offense meant, I don't know the appropriate term, if someone would like to correct me, please feel free) biologically female trans persons identifying as male using the men's restroom.
Equal access to public accommodations was dealt a serious blow with the case of G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board; lower court rulings favorable to transgender persons and transgender students in particular were vacated, and the case was remanded back to the 4th Circuit because of the Trump Administrations new position for the government. Up until this point, the controlling legal principle was Auer deference but since the Obama administration's policies are being thrown out the window, there is now a long and perilous battle ahead.
True. Still, things seem to be moving the way of tolerance and even more so, acceptance. Almost to the point that it feels like the pendulum won't be swinging back much assuming it does at all, but that's probably me being optimistic.
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