24-04-2025
Texas passes anti-trans bill restricts bathrooms use, other private spaces
TEXAS (KTAL/KMSS) — Today, the Texas Senate passed the 'Women's Privacy Act,' ensuring women are safe in their bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers. However, it explicitly prohibits trans people from sharing those spaces.
Mary Elizabeth Castle, Director of Government Relations for Texas Values, said, 'The vote today in the Senate was a landmark vote for protecting women and girls in our state. No woman should have to be forced to share a vulnerable private space with a man and be deprived of her dignity. Private spaces are separated based on sex for a reason, and our state should keep it that way.'
According to Texas Values' news release, Brooke Slusser, a San Jose State women's volleyball player, was a 'key witness' who was 'forced' to share a locker room and an apartment with her transgender roommate without her knowledge.
Texas bill could charge transgender people with 'gender identity fraud', if passed
During her testimony in favor of SB 240, Slusser claimed that she was not aware that her teammate was transgender. However, according to a New York Times interview, the teammate, Blare Flemings, did not publicly identify as trans at the time.
Flemings reported she became suicidal after becoming the face of a national anti-transgender movement. Meanwhile, Slusser appeared on national television against trans athletes.
'We were lied to and deceived. I was traumatized from this situation. I am now doing online school and not attending SJSU anymore,' said Slusser.
Slusser said she could have 'saved' herself from the situation. The Texas athlete concluded her statement, 'This is something that could have saved so many other young student athletes and not have them go through what I went through and be traumatized, and have the sport ruined because a man is in a woman's safe space.'
SB 240 underscores 'a person entering a private space designated for the biological sex opposite to the person's biological sex.' Individuals who violate the bill may be fined $5,000 for the first offense and $25,000 for the second offense.
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