By Hannah Ritner
Washington GOP lawmakers recently introduced a bill which calls for the repeal of the state’s transgender bathrooms rule. While it may seem surprising to some that such a bill could gain enough traction to be introduced in our liberal state, the reality is that despite our progressive appearance, we are not safe from the Trump administration’s transphobic intentions.
In 2015, the Washington State Human Rights Commission ruled to guarantee people’s access to the public spaces which correspond with their gender identities. Just this January, there was a strong push against this act, headed by the group called “Just Want Privacy.” This group is currently working to collect signatures on their website to repeal the initial WSHRC protection.
Washington and the West Coast in general have been viewed as predominantly liberal areas of the United States. However, this guise of liberalism has served to create a smokescreen that obfuscates the ways in which conservatism operates within the level of legislation in these regions. Our views of the West Coast as being liberal regions has led to a dominant attitude that we are “safe” from Trump’s policies. However, this proposal for the repeal of the transgender bathroom bill indicates that this is not necessarily the case.
The notion that the West Coast is some type of liberal sanctuary serves to produce a false sense of security that creates and perpetuates an attitude of complacency that undermines activism. This is because if the West Coast is already “liberal” compared to the rest of the U.S., we don’t have to pay as much attention to our political representatives’ actions. Additionally, this idea constructs and sustains a false belief that all Washington lawmakers are opposed to Trump’s oppressive policies.
This bill proves that Washington lawmakers are not doing enough to combat Trump’s policies and rhetoric. In my opinion, it is entirely possible that this lack of mobilization could be a result of this perception of protection within the West Coast.
It is critical that liberals continue to push Washington legislators to challenge Trump’s oppressive rhetoric despite the West Coast’s liberal stereotype. We may have a dominantly Democratic view on the West Coast, but this does not mean that we can fall into the trap of believing that, because we reside in a blue state, we are sheltered. Nor can it allow for complacency in combating harmful bills that infringe upon the rights of all individuals.
It is critical now, more than ever, to continue putting pressure on representatives to vote against attacks on Planned Parenthood and to protect the rights of immigrants and the LGBTQ community.