Texas law targets transgender people with $500 fines, $10k civil suits for using the bathroom

At a contentious open meeting in Texas last month, the Odessa city council banned transgender individuals from using bathrooms, locker rooms, changing areas, showers, and other similar public facilities that align with their gender identity, multiple media outlets report. Those who violate the ban could be convicted of a class C misdemeanor and receive a fine of up to $500. The new ordinance also provides legal standing to alleged victims to sue for damages up to $10,000 in civil court.

"No person shall knowingly or intentionally enter or use a restroom in a public building designated for the exclusive use by persons that do not correspond to his or her biological sex," the amended portion of the ordinance now reads.

Supporters of the measure portrayed the new law as protecting women and children, while detractors described it as costly and unnecessary.

In testimony at the contentious council meeting on Oct. 22, Alexander Ermels, the president of PFLAG's Midland and Odessa chapter, described the move as "a complete waste of the city's time, money, and resources."

"It's not addressing any real problem in our community," Ermels said, the Associated Press reports. "Instead, it's creating one, making people worried about something that just is not an issue."

Supporters of the measure said they were not driven by fear but were acting to protect their women, children, and grandchildren.

"There's never been fear," council member Chris Hanie said at the meeting. "I don't care who you are, and what you do in the privacy of your home is your business, but I don't need to see it in public."

Mayor Javier Joven strongly supported the ban.

"While it is crucial to consider the needs and concerns of all community members, including the LGBTQ population, it is also important to prioritize the safety and privacy of the majority," Joven said in a press release to KWES-TV . "By recognizing the statistical data that shows a small percentage of individuals identifying as transgender compared to the larger population, it became clear that supporting the majority in this decision was the most prudent course of action. Balancing the interests of the minority while upholding the rights and desires of the majority is integral to effective governance."

A few days after the ordinance was amended, Joven, who is up for reelection this month, said he and his supporters were "fighting against Satan and his kingdom of spiritual darkness," although it was unclear if he was describing his personal and political battles with the LGBTQ+ community.

Last month, Joven told the Texas Tribune he felt Odessa "needed to publicly repent" for its transgressions and expressed his views on transgender individuals using bathrooms aligned with their gender identity – and not just in Odessa.

"I'm concerned about any male being in any restroom anywhere," he said.