I’m a 26-year-old woman, a former middle school teacher, and now a graduate student at Miami University. Soon, because of a new law, I might end up using the men’s bathroom next to you on campus.
Why? Thank the Ohio Legislature. They added a controversial amendment to a previously bipartisan education bill, now requiring all students, including those in universities, to use the bathroom that matches the sex listed on their birth certificate. It’s another version of the so-called “bathroom bill,” showing how our lawmakers focus on divisive issues instead of real problems.
For me, this law doesn’t make sense. I’ve been legally recognized as a woman for years, and I live my life as one. Thanks to hormone therapy and surgery, I am biologically female in many ways. It’s been years since anyone has mistaken me for a man. But now, laws like this put me—and others like me—in danger by forcing us into bathrooms where we don’t belong.
These bills claim to “protect” people, but they do the opposite. They put trans people at risk. I remember passing a campground in Preble County where a trans man, Noah Ruiz, was assaulted in a women’s restroom after being forced to use it. That’s the sad irony—these bills argue for safety while directly putting people like me in harm’s way.
Imagine me, late at night in a library, having to use the men’s restroom. What happens if a drunk man confronts me, demanding to know why I’m there? Or what if I bump into my male students in the bathroom and have to explain myself? It’s absurd and humiliating.
To me, this law isn’t about safety—it’s about making life harder for trans people. Our existence makes some people uncomfortable, and instead of dealing with that discomfort, lawmakers are using their power to push us out of public spaces. But being trans isn’t something we can just turn off. So, laws like this force us to keep living our lives, even more openly.
We’re not a problem to solve. We’re your neighbors, coworkers, and teachers. We see the real problems in Ohio—like the opioid crisis tearing families apart and the impact of poverty on kids in schools. Those are issues worth addressing, not who uses which bathroom.
This law doesn’t solve anything. It puts vulnerable students and adults in uncomfortable and unsafe situations. But we can push back. Be a public and vocal ally. Speak up for love and acceptance in your community.
And if you see someone in a bathroom where you think they “don’t belong,” don’t panic. This law put us there—we’d much rather use the restroom in peace, too.