New Hampshire Lawmaker Compares Gender Law to Jim Crow Era
In a heated debate over a proposed bill aimed at restricting biological men from participating in women’s sports and using women’s private facilities, New Hampshire State Senator Debra Altschiller drew a controversial parallel to the Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation in the United States.
During discussion on Thursday, Altschiller characterized the bill as “cut from the same cloth” as the discriminatory laws upheld by the 1896 Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, which upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation until it was abolished by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. She emphasized that the legislation sends a damaging message to transgender individuals, stating, “It tells transgender Granite Staters, you may live among us, but, in certain spaces, you must step aside.”
Altschiller’s remarks highlight the ongoing national debate over transgender rights, particularly in relation to athletics and access to gender-specific facilities. She cautioned against the historical justification of segregation, referencing the idea that it did not inherently imply racial inferiority unless individuals internalized that belief—a misguided rationale, as she asserted.
Highlighting the implications of such legislation, Altschiller argued for the importance of inclusivity in society. The proposed law, which aims to define access based on biological sex, is facing significant pushback from advocates for transgender rights, who assert that it perpetuates discrimination and exclusion.
As the bill moves through the legislative process, it continues to stir contentious discussions about gender identity, equality, and the rights of transgender individuals in New Hampshire and across the nation.
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