There has been a lot of news lately surrounding various LGBT issues, especially concerning the rights of the transgender population. There’s the famous Caitlyn Jenner coming out as a proud trans woman after years of silence; there is Target standing for inclusivity with an accepting bathroom policy; there has been the local news of HB 1008 last February, which was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Daugaard. Now the story develops: the Human Relations and Human Resources offices of Sioux Falls have more explicit proposals working their way through the ranks of government that guarantee rights for LGBT people. These proposals would effectively lay out the basis on which people should not be discriminated against, i.e. “race, color, sex, sexual orientation, sexual identity, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, genetic information or disability.”

With good, progressive news comes backlash from all angles. Some people still refer to Caitlyn Jenner using the male pronouns, even deigning to call her “Bruce.” A conservative group, the American Family Association, called for a boycott of the Target chain nationwide, producing more than 700,000 signatures on the petition. Opponents of HB 1008 were worried about their children’s’ privacy. These new local proposals on Chapter 98 have received opposition from a group called the “Liberty Counsel.” This group was compelled to write to Mayor Mike Huether in the name of “First Amendment religious liberty matters and the protection of constitutional liberties;” read the letter here.

The main argument of the Liberty Counsel is that ““sexual orientation” and “gender identity” are thus neither fundamental rights nor fixed, objective categories.” Yes, gender identity can be more fluid and change from day to day, but it is wrong to say that gender identity is not a right. People have the right to identify as any gender they please. That right does not infringe on the rights of religious establishments by any means. Christians still have their churches and practice their faith as protected under the First Amendment; that has never changed. Why should this particular group feel compelled to write to the mayor of our town just to say that people of certain genders or sexual preferences should not have the same rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? The same amendment that protects this religious group from practicing freely also protects the right to have a voice and choose one’s own gender through freedom of speech. This group essentially wants to strip away First Amendment rights for their trans brothers and sisters.

What transgender people need is simply inclusivity and to be treated with respect, not discrimination. It is not a breach of privacy for a trans person to use a restroom that corresponds with their sense of gender, it makes them feel more comfortable. A bathroom has stalls for a reason: privacy. No one goes into the bathroom to display what sex organs they have, they just go in to do their business and leave as quickly as possible. Not to mention that anyone who does use the restroom to flash other people would be arrested for sexual harassment or perversion… And this issue isn’t just about bathrooms. Chapter 98 also covers employment, housing, service in business, etc., and it goes without saying that taking away LGBT rights is unnecessary and discriminatory. Bottom line: what trans people want is to be treated fairly and with humanity. We are all people and we all want respect. It is 2016. This is the future, hopefully a time of greater acceptance and understanding for different ways of life.