Family Research Council leader threatens violence toward trans women in bathrooms
Lately, I’ve grown weary of the relentless assaults we are seeing on one of the most basic freedoms a person can enjoy: using a public bathroom in peace.
One such assault came in the form of a bill that would have hurt school children in South Dakota. It was, thankfully, vetoed by their governor. But there are other such pieces of legislation in the works, and Texas is sure to join the chorus, once again, come the 2017 legislative session.
The latest assault on transgender people comes in the form of a threat of, well, assault from retired Lt. General Jerry Boykin, the executive vice president of the Family Research Council. (“Family Research Council”, by the way, is simply an innocuous-sounding name for what has been designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an extremist, right-wing religious-led hate group focused on causing harm to the LGBT community.)
The ever-so-courageous Boykin in a recent quote about transgender people and public restrooms, declared: “I will tell you what, the first man that walks in my daughter’s bathroom, he ain’t going to have to worry about surgery. That’s not right. That is not right. It’s not right. It’s ungodly. But it’s also just unnatural. This is crazy. Where are the Christians that are standing up?”
Is that a threat, Mr. Boykin? If so, enjoy prison.
It’s you and others like you who are the threat. What are you doing in your daughter’s bathroom anyway, you sicko?
Transgender people are no threat at all. There are no incidents of any children or women being harmed or attacked by transgender people in bathrooms. Matter of fact, there is ample evidence that we are most at risk when using the bathroom because of disgraceful, immoral, bigoted bullies like you Mr. Boykin.
If you really, truly want to protect your children and other loved ones, I have compiled a list of things that pose a much higher risk to your family than do transgender women peeing in public restrooms. This list is by no means comprehensive. But if caring for and protecting your family is really truly your goal, you will conduct an all-out attack on these real threats:
• Riding a bike
• Artificial sweeteners
• Bees
• Stairs
• Ladders
• Sharks
• Hot dogs (choking hazard)
• Playing golf
• Frisbees
• Taking a shower
• Coffee tables
• Driving
• Food allergies
• Soccer
• Plastic dry cleaner bags
• Pedestrian accidents
• Riding a school bus
• Bullies (like you, Boykin. You coward)
• Burns from fast food coffee
• Arts and crafts (what with all that glue and those scissors)
• Sunburn
• Doors
• Bears
• Thunderstorms
• Convertible sofas
• Swimming pools and ponds
• Texting and walking
I could go on, but space is limited.
These are just a few things that, according to federal accident statistics, all pose a greater threat to your children than do transgender people trying to use the bathroom.
What’s that? No? You aren’t going to go on a crusade against bears and convertible sofas?
Well then, it’s clear that concern for your family is not the driving force behind your attempt at cultural genocide. And it’s clear that it’s just pure, unadulterated hatred behind your threats.
Since you and your fellow nut-jobs identify yourselves as Christians, maybe you can help me understand where in the Bible I can find that Jesus taught this brand of hatred.
You, Mr. Boykin, and those who stand with you in your warped and evil organization are the danger to a polite society. You are lashing out because you were on the wrong side of history.
The marriage equality issue is settled and you lost! So, being the sore loser that you are, you re-focus your hate-cannon on the transgender community.
It may take a while, but you will lose this one, too. You are, once again, on the wrong side of history and of moral justice.
My advice to you is to actually follow the teachings of Christ and love one another and quit worrying about where I go potty.
But if you can’t control yourself and you end up following through on your terroristic threat and hurt someone in my community, I hope your prison bunk buddy is gentle with you.
Leslie McMurray, a transgender woman, is a former radio DJ who lives and works in Dallas. Read more of her blogs at lesliemichelle44.wordpress.com.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 11, 2016.
