Forced to Participate in the Transgender Issue

                              How appearances affect each of us can be a difficult concept to master, as how we view ourselves is rarely how we are perceived by others - especially by those that do not know us personally. This is particularly true when applied to the transgender issues currently in the news. The majority of the mainstream population has never known a transgendered individual, so to assess the position and place of such a person in society is problematic in reaching an opinion that may impact a greater understanding.

                               From a purely personal perspective a transgender individual should and must receive every civil right and privilege afforded any other citizen, and the full weight of the law should be applied when violations occur. What should not be offered in these instances is any type of special consideration, preferential treatment  or action by government that imposes upon the remaining population's ability to go about their lives in a peaceful and lawful manner.

                               The main topic of discussion in all of this seems for some odd reason to be the choice of restroom facilities available to the transgendered. Not employment, housing, education or medical care. Restrooms......

                                Under former President Obama a mandate was presented through the Department of Education to assure school students freedom in selecting the restroom facilities of their choice - The State of Texas challenged it in court and won. Since his election President Trump has rescinded the order entirely. Most recently, Texas has pursued a "Bathroom Law" that is well on it's way to becoming law, one which insists students must use the restroom in accordance with the sex stated on their birth certificate.

                                 Money talks, and even business entities such as professional sports leagues and performing artists that utilize large venues are on the side of accommodating trangendered bathroom issues. The NFL has threatened to pull The Super Bowl from locales not on board with transgender bathroom rights, and a number of big name performing acts have boycotted  entire states over the matter.

                                  What seems to get lost in the media clamor are the rights of the common person - the 99 percent of the population that is not transgendered. Namely, the parents of small children who do not want the minds of their impressionable offspring exposed to such a lifestyle for whatever reason - albeit on grounds of religion, personal opinion or any other. No parent should ever be forced to have discussions with young children on any manner of sexual topic, and the entire transgender bathroom issue demands a parental response be forthright.

                                   The time, energy and financial resources of government on all levels in response to this matter has been costly to say the least....over bathrooms? Evidently all of our nation's pressing foreign and domestic issues have been resolved so very successfully that our attention can now be squarely focused on appeasing the concerns of a minuscule demographic in validating their self perceptions. It is mind-boggling that an issue so inane can garner so much debate and stir such controversy. And yes, it is recognized that it is not trivial to a transgendered person - nor is it trivial to a parent that has to explain why a man in a floral dress wearing pearls and stiletto heels is in the ladies room.

                                   The bottom line is that any person can identify with whatever they perceive themselves to be, but not at the cost of disturbing the peaceful enjoyment of others to go about their lives without being forced to play along in addressing a social issue....like bathrooms.