TL;DR
- 19 states now have bathroom bans restricting trans people’s access to facilities matching their gender.
- Over a quarter of trans Americans live under these discriminatory laws.
- A resurgence of anti-trans legislation floods the U.S., overshadowing any public outcry.
- Trans workers are being singled out and forced into humiliating alternatives.
- Politicians are weaponizing trans rights again—this time, business backlash is nowhere to be seen.
The Bathroom Wars Are Back—and More Brutal Than Ever
Nearly a decade after North Carolina’s HB 2 made headlines and drew fierce backlash, the “bathroom bill” is back—and it’s spreading like wildfire. This time, it’s even nastier. Nineteen states now have laws that force transgender people—especially students—to use bathrooms that don’t match their gender identity. That means more than a quarter of trans Americans are living under official, codified discrimination.
And it’s not just about bathrooms. In places like Arkansas, trans people in public schools, colleges, even correctional facilities, are being told where they can and cannot relieve themselves. One trans woman at a university was ordered by her boss to use a single-occupancy bathroom across the building. If that one’s full? Trek across campus. “I feel singled out for something I don’t have any control over,” she told reporters. Her colleagues called it a ‘perk.’ She called it what it is: segregation.
This wave of bans is flying under the radar. Unlike HB 2, which sparked boycotts from PayPal and performers like Bruce Springsteen, today’s laws have met a shrug from corporate America. Why? Because discrimination has been normalized. There are now hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills across the country—making it impossible to track the full scope of this legislative siege.
“It’s not just one bill,” says Logan Casey from the Movement Advancement Project. “It’s hundreds. They’re flooding the zone.” And as laws stack up, confusion sets in. Some states don’t even have formal bans, but define “sex” in ways that still prevent trans people from accessing restrooms. That ambiguity leaves trans folks—and yes, even cis women—open to harassment and being policed in public restrooms.
In Arkansas, one woman’s reality now includes more misgendering from coworkers, more walking across buildings, and a resignation letter. She’s quitting academia altogether. “At this point, I really wish I just hadn’t come out at work,” she said.
Silence from Business, Hatred from the State
So where are the business boycotts? Where’s the NCAA-level outrage? Crickets.
Experts say the climate has changed. Trans rights have been politicized and vilified like never before, used as cannon fodder in a broader agenda to roll back civil rights. Even North Carolina, once the poster state for anti-trans laws, is back on the offensive. A new bill would ban changes to birth certificates and driver’s licenses and could bring back HB 2-style bathroom bans. Governor Josh Stein vetoed it—but Republicans might override him any day now.
Back in 2016, the business world flinched. Now? They’re apparently fine standing on the sidelines while trans people are humiliated for needing to pee. That says everything.
This isn’t just legislation. It’s a coordinated, systemic effort to erase trans people from public life. From sports bans to health care restrictions to banning LGBTQ books in schools, the message is loud and clear: if you’re queer, you’re a target.
And for the queer community? Especially trans folks and their allies—it’s time to gear up. This fight is far from over. The stakes are as personal as they come.
Because access to a bathroom isn’t just about plumbing—it’s about dignity. Rights. And existence.