A transgender woman posted a photo of herself in a North Carolina bathroom in a powerful statement against a state law that limits public bathroom access for transgender people and is seen as anti-LGBT.
Sarah McBride, 25, is trans-rights activists who works as a communications manager for LGBT Progress at American Progress. Last Thursday, she was in Mecklenburg County, N.C., when she took a photograph of herself in a bathroom to challenge House Bill 2 (HB2) — or the “bathroom bill” – legislation that overturned local laws that would have expanded protections for the LGBT community.
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The controversial bill also requires people to use public bathrooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth.
“Here I am using a women’s restroom in North Carolina that I’m technically barred from being in,” she writes in a photo caption posted to social media that has since been shared widely.
She then lists a series of misconceptions and derogatory labels directed at people in the trans community including “pervert,” being “a threat to their children,” and “dangerous.”
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“They say accepting me as the person I have fought my life to be seen as reflects the downfall of a once great nation,” she writes.
“I’m just a person. We are all just people. Trying to pee in peace. Trying to live our lives as fully and authentically as possible. Barring me from this restroom doesn’t help anyone. And allowing me to continue to use this bathroom – just without fear of discrimination and harassment – doesn’t hurt anyone. Stop this. We are good people.”
Her post has been shared widely on social media including more than 120,000 times on Facebook.
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McBride joins the chorus of widespread backlash to HB2 that includes international corporations moving out the state, musicians cancelling concerts, and condemnation from organizations like the NBA, the NCAA, and Hollywood filmmakers.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the statehouse on Monday in Raleigh that also saw dozens of people go inside the offices of state legislators to perform symbolic sit-ins.
The Associated Press reports that more than 50 people were arrested Monday night.