C'mon Lance Berkman - What's this drivel coming from your mouth? (Houston: 2014, tax)

[PedroMartinez]

Restrooms should be based upon genitalia. If you have a penis, you use the men's restroom, and if you don't, you use the women's restroom.

It really is that simple.

[curbur]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

Restrooms should be based upon genitalia. If you have a penis, you use the men's restroom, and if you don't, you use the women's restroom.

It really is that simple.

So if I'm understanding correctly, a transgendered person has removed their male genitalia would then use the women's restroom now.

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by curbur

So if I'm understanding correctly, a transgendered person has removed their male genitalia would then use the women's restroom now.

I'm pretty sure that is EXACTLY where we are now WITHOUT the ordinance.

All the ordinance does is allow someone who feels like they were discriminated against a cause of action to sue the business.

Its a pretty ridiculously stupid ordinance in that regard, and completely unnecessary.

[westres1]

THERE IS NOTHING IN THE ORDINANCE ABOUT BATHROOMS!!!
http://houstontx.gov/equal_rights_ordinance.pdf

[bu2]

Originally Posted by westres1

THERE IS NOTHING IN THE ORDINANCE ABOUT BATHROOMS!!!
http://houstontx.gov/equal_rights_ordinance.pdf

Read Marks post above yours.

[westres1]

They can sue now under Federal rules. This gives people a way locally to deal with discrimination. Its not to file a lawsuit but to file a grievance and the city can fine the business if it finds discrimination. Take the Gaslamp incident. HERO was not in place, so in order to get justice they will have to file a federal lawsuit (which is costly) rather than a local complaint.

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by westres1

They can sue now under Federal rules. This gives people a way locally to deal with discrimination. Its not to file a lawsuit but to file a grievance and the city can fine the business if it finds discrimination. Take the Gaslamp incident. HERO was not in place, so in order to get justice they will have to file a federal lawsuit (which is costly) rather than a local complaint.

First, Transgendered people are not a protected class, so they are unlikely to be successful in Federal Court filings claiming discrimination.

Second, The Gaslamp incident is a PERFECT reason why we do NOT need this stupid ordinance. The individuals who were required to pay to enter were not discriminated against b/c they were Black...there are so many unreported facts to that story. First - they got into the VIP line b/c it was shorter. Second - they are WELL outside of the age demographic the club is attempting to serve Third - they came with Zero girls, which is precisely the demographic that club is catering too.

These guys were not prevented from entering, they were not forced to go stand in the non-vip line, they were not shunned despite not being that well dressed - no they were just required to pay the cover that hundreds of other people had to pay...OH THE HUMANITY! They charged white guys the same cover many times that night, yet it was not discrimination that time.

My point is that we do not NEED any other layer of bureaucracy to make it any easier for a business to be fined, or investigated...its ALL already covered by some stupid level of bureaucracy....it should not be easy to sue...suing someone should be a last resort, it should be expensive, it should be difficult.

If Gaslamp were really overtly discriminating against black people, they would go out of business b/c 99% of people these days are NOT racist, and do not support places that are. But once again, people jump to conclusions b/c the local media got a story that might get better ratings than the real-story: black guys with no girls forced to pay cover in VIP line just like hundreds of other white guys that night.

[3shipguy]

Originally Posted by marksmu

First, Transgendered people are not a protected class, so they are unlikely to be successful in Federal Court filings claiming discrimination.

Second, The Gaslamp incident is a PERFECT reason why we do NOT need this stupid ordinance. The individuals who were required to pay to enter were not discriminated against b/c they were Black...there are so many unreported facts to that story. First - they got into the VIP line b/c it was shorter. Second - they are WELL outside of the age demographic the club is attempting to serve Third - they came with Zero girls, which is precisely the demographic that club is catering too.

These guys were not prevented from entering, they were not forced to go stand in the non-vip line, they were not shunned despite not being that well dressed - no they were just required to pay the cover that hundreds of other people had to pay...OH THE HUMANITY! They charged white guys the same cover many times that night, yet it was not discrimination that time.

My point is that we do not NEED any other layer of bureaucracy to make it any easier for a business to be fined, or investigated...its ALL already covered by some stupid level of bureaucracy....it should not be easy to sue...suing someone should be a last resort, it should be expensive, it should be difficult.

If Gaslamp were really overtly discriminating against black people, they would go out of business b/c 99% of people these days are NOT racist, and do not support places that are. But once again, people jump to conclusions b/c the local media got a story that might get better ratings than the real-story: black guys with no girls forced to pay cover in VIP line just like hundreds of other white guys that night.

Apparently you didn't see the latest video at Gaslamp.

[PedroMartinez]

Originally Posted by 3shipguy

Apparently you didn't see the latest video at Gaslamp.

I saw it, and it shows nothing.

IMHO, people are jumping on Gaslamp due to a variety of reasons that don't include actual known facts.

Social media shaming has become a very popular sport.

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by 3shipguy

Apparently you didn't see the latest video at Gaslamp.

I had not seen that, and I still have not watched it...its impossible to stay up to date with EVERYTHING.

Now let me tie the whole Gas Lamp part of this thread BACK to the original post which is about the bathroom oridnance (not guns)

The fact remains though that we do not need to make it easier to sue people. The additional layer of rules/regulations, etc just make it harder to do business. It is nothing more than an avenue to extract money from a business and in this case, its going to be nothing more than a HUGE he said/she said exchange.

Bottom line - we dont need a new ordinance that does nothing more than extract a penalty for non-compliance.