JEFFERSON CITY, MO - A Missouri legislator has introduced two bills aimed at restricting public restroom use by transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.
State Rep. Jeff Pogue (R-Salem) filed the legislation Thursday that opponents call "harmful," "demeaning" and an instrument to "create false fear" of the trans community.
One bill (HB 1338) would require all public restrooms, other than single occupancy restrooms, to be gender-divided restrooms.
The other bill (HB 1339) would prohibit the appropriation or expenditure of state revenues for the purpose of creating a gender-neutral environment, unless required by a federal or state court order
Both HB 1338 and HB 1339 are similar to bills that have been filed in Florida, Kentucky and Texas.
According to PROMO, Missouri's statewide LGBT advocacy orgnanization, transgender and gender-nonconforming people often face stress, anxiety and discrimination when accessing gender-specific bathrooms.
“These bills are intended to stoke the fear of transgender people portrayed as predators," said PROMO Executive Director, A.J. Bockelman in a released statement. "Fourteen cities and counties in Missouri and over 200 cities and counties across the country have passed laws protecting LGBT people from discrimination in public accommodations with no increase in public safety incidents. You would think the legislature had more pressing issues to address rather than pursue straw-man arguments.”
PROMO's annual Equality Day lobbying event will be held on Tuesday, April 22 at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.