Many people believe that there are only two genders, and that you can only be the one you are born as, and this leads to a lot of controversy when it comes to people who identify as transgender. These days it seems that more and more people are coming out as transgender, even many celebrities such as Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner, but this also means that there is more hatred towards those individuals. Whether it’s online, at home, or unintentional many transgender people feel discriminated against, and this needs to change.

Many transgender people are abused at home and at school, making them turn towards suicide. Analysis this year by the Williams Institute found 78 percent of transgender respondents who had been physically or sexualy abused at school had attempted suicide. Transgender people also face discrimination in the workforce. If someone identifies as transgender they technically can not serve in the military. Individuals looking to join the military can be rejected for evidence of genital surgery. Businesses can also deny hiring people that identify as transgender in all but 18 states.

People have argued against laws protecting transgender people, saying that it makes them uncomfortable to have a man that looks like a woman (or a woman that looks like a man) working for them, but many transgender individuals are not easily identified. Most choose to have multiple surgeries to easily pass as their preferred gender, and even if they don’t clothing is genderless. Men can wear dresses just as women can wear pants.

Another popular argument is that if we allow people to change their gender, we will have people use this as a way to sexually assault others. For example, if laws are passed allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice many people believe that others will use this law to assault underage people of the opposite gender. While this is a valid concern the law doesn’t protect people who identify as one gender to enter the opposite bathroom, and it definitely doesn’t protect anyone who assaults someone in the bathroom, regardless of their gender. With these worries addressed hopefully the workplace and public bathrooms can be made more transgender friendly.