It annoys the crap out of me because it’s a question that nobody’s *really *asking, nor needs to. It’s a fringe group setting themselves up to be able to stuff a microphone in front of anyone, pundit or private citizen, and force them to either agree with their POV 100% or be called an evil, horrible bigot. It is the definition of being a ‘PC thug’. It’s a half lazy, polarizing question and a half trick one, like “Have you stopped beating your wife”…
It’s opinion (because I don’t think you can conclusively prove any one instance), but the defeat of Houston’s HERO ordinance and the demonizing of transgender persons which worked so successfully there, is widely thought of by transgender activists as being the start of this shit. The ADF et al actually published their “playbook” on this tactic last year for hate groups to use, as reported by my friend and activist Cristan Williams.
But it must also be acknowledged that the USSC’s pantsing of conservatives with their upholding of SSM is also an impetus. When conservatives finally had to acknowledge that they were trounced by social progress, they decided to lash out at a much smaller and much more vulnerable target…because that’s what bullies have always done, really. They counted on LGB (well, LG) movement abandoning transgender persons after they got SSM (which hasn’t happened yet; the LGB community has actually rallied to help the T quite a bit more than many expected), and they counted on the hysterical machismo of ignorant conservative males to puff out their chests and rise up to “defend them thar’ womenfolk from all those men in dresses…”, which has happened to some extent.
And of course the North Carolina law has given huge momentum to the hate movement.
The comment regarding the anti-ERA movement also came to my mind, and is very much true. I still remember my own grandmothers saying how they were going to vote against their OWN equal rights, for two reasons: first, “men won’t hold doors open for us any more,” and second, “this will force us all to use the same bathrooms!” Even as a child in single digits I knew that they were seriously fucked up in their thinking. I remember asking one grandmother “why don’t you think you’re as good as a man and deserve the same rights?” and she practically patted me on the head and said “you just don’t understand…” :smack:
The same could occur the other way around. And I don’t think it’s that B&W.
You aren’t going to get crucified for a lukewarm answer like “I’m not that comfortable with trans people but don’t see any need for these bathroom laws” for example.
because old white people are running out of clouds to yell at.
Since this thread has moved out of the GQ and garnered some responses, I’ll go ahead and post my own opinions (which I earlier withheld for fear of poisoning the well).
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It seems to me that the general Republican strategy hinges on exploiting issues which are emotional, divisive, irresolvable but simultaneously irrelevant. It actually angers me to see politicians arguing over bathrooms and gay marriage when there are much more severe problems in the world. It is probably easier to get people to vote for simple, emotional topics than highly complex, abstract and global problem sets. Because issues like abortion and gay rights are driven by religion and ideology, it is also impossible to have your position discredited by actual facts and research. I think there is a very big “bread and circuses” component to a lot of this, in the sense that it is intended to distract us from the bigger problems facing humanity.
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… but all that still doesn’t explain why this issue comes up now. I was not familiar with HERO legislation, but I have to agree with Una on this. The fight over gay rights is increasingly turning against the conservatives, and they have reached the point where they are desperately grasping for new issues which they can still fight over. If it has to be a manufactured crisis du jour, then so be it. I also strongly suspect that it is essentially a performance, in that a politician who votes against transgender rights can credibly claim that they stood up to the LGBT bogeyman.
As an older white person who is entirely in favor of trans people using the bathroom that conforms with who they are I find that remark offensive. Stereotyping, after all, is among the reason this sort of hateful law gets voted into existence.
Oh, and by the way - please step off the grass surrounding my house. 
I’ve no problem ranting against old white male Americans, though I am one myself.
We already know that about 64% of white males who vote will vote for Trump in November. We’re just crossing our fingers and hoping it isn’t 66%.
Fortunately, “white males” are actually a minority in this country, much as they are loathe to admit it. Some of what’s going on is a last gasp among a group that is no longer in charge of everything.
If those right-wing bastards what to butt into public bathrooms, the very least they could do is bring and leave toilet paper.
Hell, the fuckers pass laws forbidding us to try to solve the bigger problems. They’ve passed laws forbidding climate change research, and laws forbidding the accumulation of data regarding firearms casualties.
They don’t just distract us from solving real problems: the sons of bitches bar it by law!
This is my theory. The Rich White Boys Club is being tossed into the trash (thankfully) and they are exhibiting frenetic and increasingly illogical behaviors in their death spasms.
Isn’t it obvious? Dogs and cats living together, oh my!