FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE STATEMENT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

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LEGALIZING DISCRIMINATION:

the “TRANSSEXUAL” ORDINANCE

(Adopted in Miami, Florida on June 7, 2014)

WE’RE FOR FAIRNESS <> REASON <> COMMON–SENSE

AS OUR STATE’S largest minority-led Democratic voters’ civil rights, equality, and social justice advocacy organization, the Florida Democratic League (FDL) passionately works to end bigotry, discrimination and intolerance in our state. We oppose the proposed Miami-Dade “Transsexual” Ordinance because it does not prohibit discrimination, rather it actually legalizes it! That’s why we urge our elected officials to STAND TOGETHER with all Miami-Dade residents against legalizing discrimination and sabotaging equality. Because discrimination against any of us is discrimination against all of us.

How does the proposed the “Transsexual” Ordinance legalizes discrimination and sabotage equality? Here’s how:

FIRST. “Transsexualism” is absolutely not a human rights issue. And it’s not a human rights issue because human rights are rights based solely on a person’s humanity; on the fact that we are human beings. Human rights are not based on what sex we think we are, what sport we identify with, or what sexual behavioral choice we claim to personally prefer. Anyone claiming this proposed “Transsexual” Ordinance has anything to do with Human Rights simply does not know what Human Rights are.

SECOND. The proposed discriminatory “Transsexual” Ordinance is based on lies, distortions and manipulations of facts. The proposed Ordinance’s arguments are completely bogus. For example, Ordinance promoters allege that so-called “transsexual” discrimination is “pervasive” and “serious”, yet they could not name a single company or government entity that discriminates against this so-called “category.” Why?

THIRD. “Gender identity and expression” are, in themselves, discriminatory ideological propaganda terms, i.e., terms specifically created to discriminate on ideological grounds. Have you stopped to think that neither “gender identity” nor “gender expression” are scientifically demonstrable, genetically provable, nor objectively definable biological realities? How can anyone in their right mind vote to amend Miami-Dade’s Human Rights ordinance to include an arbitrarily fabricated “category” that is not scientifically demonstrable, genetically provable, or objectively definable? Isn’t it apparent that this is plainly wrong, unjust and un-American?

FOURTH. County ordinances should not be based on arbitrary, capricious or self-serving ideological agendas. This invariably produces confusion, legalizes discrimination, and results in needless litigation. Commissioners owe it to their constituents to reject the proposed ordinance as arbitrary, discriminatory, ideologically-based, and legally as well as ethically challenged.

FIFTH. Individuals do not have the right to demand legal benefits, privileges or protections based on whatever they allege is their arbitrarily chosen so-called “sexual identity or expression.” An individual’s sex is not a “flavor-of-the-day” thing. Sex is a readily knowable, scientifically demonstrable, biologically-provable reality. Objectively speaking, an individual’s sex is a precisely determinable genetic fact that is not up to them to decide. As a scientifically demonstrable biological reality, sex is not based on an arbitrary whim, personal feeling, private opinion, capricious fantasy or subjective perception.

SIXTH. This proposed discriminatory “Transsexual” Ordinance irresponsibly allows individuals with sexual identity disorders, or in denial or rejection of their sex, to use whatever bathrooms, dressing rooms, showers, locker rooms and other sex-specific public facilities they like. So-called “sexual identity or expression,” is an arbitrary and highly fluid concept based on personal feeling, private opinion, and subjective perception of one’s sex. Authorizing individuals with sexual identity disorders to use whatever bathrooms, dressing rooms, showers, and other sex-specific public facilities they like, not only violates constitutional privacy rights, but it legalizes discrimination against Miami-Dade County residents and their families. This proposed ordinance has nothing to do with civil rights and everything to do with legalizing discrimination against the public!

SEVENTH. This proposed discriminatory “Transsexual” Ordinance unjustly demeans, punishes, and discriminates the public wishing to protect their children and families from the sexual behavioral choices and practices of individuals with sexual identity problems, or in denial or rejection of their sex. County ordinances must be based on clear, factual, objective legal concepts and standards, not on ambiguous or capricious terms, subjective allegations, arbitrary claims, personal feelings, private opinions, much less promote ideological or political agendas. Because this proposed ordinance does not adequately define the controversial, hotly-debated, ideological terms “gender identity” and “gender expression,” it is patently unjust to subject Miami-Dade’s public to this ambiguous, anti-equality, capricious, divisive, and discriminatory ordinance.

At the end of the day, an individual has the right to have whatever personal opinion he wants about his sex, but they don’t have the right to force everyone else to agree with that personal opinion, especially when it’s in direct contradiction with biology and their DNA.

“’Sex change’ is biologically impossible. People who undergo sex-reassignment surgery do not change from men to women or vice versa. Rather, they become feminized men or masculinized women. Claiming that this is civil-rights matter and encouraging surgical intervention is in reality to collaborate with and promote a mental disorder.” – Dr. Paul R. McHugh, former psychiatrist-in-chief for Johns Hopkins Hospital and its current Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry.

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