The Transgender initiative has been scooping up all the prime media spots and TV channels. You can watch TV shows about Trans life, read books on it, and learn all about it in the daily paper. At first, this issue seemed distant. The government was being held responsible for the rulings of transgender trials. But that had no effect on my everyday life. That was before the Obama administration issued a new directive to public schools stating “to U.S. public schools that transgender students must be allowed to use the bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their chosen gender identity.” Now public schools are being required to provide a “gender natural” bathroom and locker room. The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI), being a state university, must abide by these new rules and I have no problem with this.

I have been dancing since I was seven years old and I was a cheerleader from age four to age twelve, so at a very young age I was desensitized to changing in public. It was just what you did. I changed in cars, in buses, in public bathrooms, in a big open rooms, anywhere and everywhere. This has shaped my opinion on this topic. When I was in high school, I didn’t care about changing in the locker room, my motto was always, “my bathing suit covers less than this, I don’t care who sees me. When it comes to locker rooms people are not comprehending the issue. If a biological male identifies as a female and wishes to use the female locker room, she will not be thinking about having sexual relationships with the biological girls in the room, like so many parents seem to worry about, they are attracted to boys! Just like the biological girls in the room.

I will teach my children to not be scared or judgmental. I will teach my children to be understanding and accepting of these people and treat them just like every other girl or boy they know. Children feel uncomfortable because, at some point in their lives, they saw an adult who was uncomfortable around a transgender person. Hate, fear, and judgment are learned behaviors. Love, pride, and acceptance are learned behaviors.

I have had the absolute pleasure to know a transgender person. She is absolutely wonderful, caring, a fantastic mother and wife. I would feel no discomfort sharing a bathroom or a locker room with her. The Obama administration has moved this country in such a positive way towards a more excepting public environment. I hope that the world can move towards a positive solution to this problem that is inclusive for everyone.