Trans Houstonians: 'It's Not About the Bathrooms'

Transgender residents of Houston speak out after their city voted down an antidiscrimination ordinance that would have protected them.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

November 10 2015 2:41 PM EST

November 10 2015 2:42 PM EST

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The annulment of HERO -- the proposed Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, which would have protected LGBT people and 13 other minority classes from discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations-- still stings for the LGBT residents of the nation's fourth-largest city. Many believe HERO was sunk by facetious claims from the opposition that the ordinance would have allowed sexual predators into public restrooms. While there has never been one documented case of a sex offender pretending to be transgender in order to enter a restroom and assault someone, the anti-trans myth persists.

Activist Vito Cammisano, known to some as the on-again, off-again partner of out football player Michael Sam, was inspired to travel to Houston after HERO's defeat. Working with The Montrose Center, the city's LGBT center, Cammisano filmed several trans people speaking about the bathroom argument. The trans men and women share their stories and collectively say that protection from discrimination is imperative and "It's not about the bathrooms." Watch below: