Many young people across America are beginning to find the gender identity and pronouns they are comfortable with. As a matter of fact, “0.7 percent of teens aged 13 to 17 are transgender, or about 150,000 kids (Tanner, 1).” The survey was taken in Minnesota alone as of 2018 and the numbers are rising. In order to ensure a safer environment for these students, the argument for gender neutral bathrooms and unrestricted bathroom access for a student’s preferred gender must be made.

To start, Transgender teens attending school greatly risk being sexually assaulted in schools that restrict bathroom access to their gender assigned at birth. According to Harvard T.H Chan school of public health, “Researchers looked at data from a survey of nearly 3,700 U.S. teens aged 13-17. The study found that 36% of transgender or gender-nonbinary students with restricted bathroom or locker room access reported being sexually assaulted in the last 12 months, according to a May 6, 2019 CNN article. Of all students surveyed, 1 out of every 4, or 25.9%, reported being a victim of sexual assault in the past year (Murchison, 209).”

This is a counter to the common myth that allowing women assigned male at birth into female public restrooms would increase sexual assault. Katy Steinmetz of Time Magazine notes that “Media Matters, a liberal media watchdog, has asked state leaders, law enforcement and school officials in places with these protections whether they’ve seen any increase in sexual assault or rape after passing these laws, and they have repeatedly said that they have not. ‘We have not seen that,’ a Des Moines police department spokesman told the outlet in 2014 (Steinmetz, 2).” Only adding to this fact is a quote from Kevin Biggs, principal of Roosevelt High School in Des-Moines Iowa Published in an article on the official website for the National Center For Transgender Equality. Referring to the unrestricted bathroom access for Transgender students, he states “This was probably the best decision we made as a school all year.” If this is where principals stand and there is proof that it is safe, why do we not let Transgender teens feel more comfortable in our schools?

 In conclusion, there have been little to no cases of sexual assault as a result of accommodating Transgender and Non-Binary students, said students feel more comfortable and encouraged when able to use their appropriate bathrooms? Inclusion, equality, and diversity are all major parts of our society. Accommodating, encouraging, and respecting transgender students provides a safe learning environment everyone can enjoy.

To start, Transgender teens attending school greatly risk being sexually assaulted in schools that restrict bathroom access to their gender assigned at birth. According to Harvard T.H Chan school of public health, “Researchers looked at data from a survey of nearly 3,700 U.S. teens aged 13-17. The study found that 36% of transgender or gender-nonbinary students with restricted bathroom or locker room access reported being sexually assaulted in the last 12 months, according to a May 6, 2019 CNN article. Of all students surveyed, 1 out of every 4, or 25.9%, reported being a victim of sexual assault in the past year (Murchison, 209).”

This is a counter to the common myth that allowing women assigned male at birth into female public restrooms would increase sexual assault. Katy Steinmetz of Time Magazine notes that “Media Matters, a liberal media watchdog, has asked state leaders, law enforcement and school officials in places with these protections whether they’ve seen any increase in sexual assault or rape after passing these laws, and they have repeatedly said that they have not. ‘We have not seen that,’ a Des Moines police department spokesman told the outlet in 2014 (Steinmetz, 2).” Only adding to this fact is a quote from Kevin Biggs, principal of Roosevelt High School in Des-Moines Iowa Published in an article on the official website for the National Center For Transgender Equality. Referring to the unrestricted bathroom access for Transgender students, he states “This was probably the best decision we made as a school all year.” If this is where principals