Gavin Grimm has been the name on everyone’s lips for the past few weeks – and for very good reasons. Gavin is a 17-year-old trans man from Gloucester, Virginia, who’s on his way to the supreme court in a fight for bathroom rights for the transgender community.You’d think that this would get a lot of major publicity, but that’s not the case. Many times, LGBT issues and rights-related struggles get pushed under the radar and off to the side.  But thanks to the wonderful Laverne Cox (actress/star of hit series Orange Is The New Black) Gavin’s story has come to the forefront when she gave him a major shout-out at this year’s Grammy Awards. Cox was asked to introduce Lady Gaga’s performance and while doing so she told millions of viewers:

From that one lone shout-out, every major media source jumped on the case.  In a recent interview on “The View”, both Grimm and Cox shared their views on why this is a very sensitive topic for the trans community.  Cox says over and over again;

At the end of the day we have to remember that this isn’t about bathroom access. Our opponents are trying to make sure that these bathroom laws are about wheater or not trans people have the right to exist in public space.  That is what this is about, this isn’t a states right issue, it’s a civil rights issue.

For a personal perspective, the interview is actually quite amazing!  At the beginning of the conversation, Whoopie asks really important questions;

What’s the message to transgender Americans and to transgender kids?  Isn’t it hard enough to be in high school or graduate school identifying in a different way than other people see you?  I mean does this help or is this more chaos for people to flip out about?  I mean with kids, why would they do this to them?

…and I completely agree with you Whoopie, especially when our new president said during his campaign that he’ll. “do everything in his power to protect the LGBT community.”  However, once he was elected he reversed [his direction] that let transgender students use the bathroom they identify with.When Gavin was asked what went into his decision to sue he said this:

Well, for me it was a thought process that said this is not right and this can’t continue, so what steps can I take to make sure that I don’t have to spend my high school career being separated away from my peers?  But unfortunately that seems like it’s going to be happening anyway, but at this point, we’re just really looking to do whatever we can for people that come after me.

So, I ask you all to #StandWithGavin because this isn’t just a transgender rights issue this, this is an LGBT rights issue!  Remember: it starts with us not being able to use the bathroom and can soon go to us not being able to be ourselves and love who we want to love.

Watch the full interview below.

Until next time!

xoxo

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