In March, West Virginia lawmakers signed a bill defining sex-based terms and restricting single-sex private spaces. This changes and restricts transgender students’ rights in the school. The bill known as “Riley Gaines Act” restricts the use of single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms to only those that aligns with their assigned sex at birth. 

According to the ‘West Virginia Watch’, Governor Patrick Morrisey is quoted as stating: “I said in my State of the State speech that West Virginia was going to lead with common sense, and that’s exactly what we’re here to do today. It’s common sense that women’s spaces, like bathrooms, locker rooms, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers should be kept private for women only.”

West Virginia is a Republican majority-led state, but Ohio county is unique for having more diversity of representatives including both democrat and republican. Students have different opinions about this bill being passed and the impact it has at school.  

Levi Powell is a senior at Wheeling Park High School who is a transgender male.

“I think this law is an insult to the state of West Virginia. How is “almost heaven”, a place where we cannot allow transgender people to exist in places such as bathrooms? It is sickening that they passed a law to ban transgender individuals from spaces any other person has a right to be. Yes, I am transgender. But more than anything, I’m human. I am a human being who has a bladder and who needs to use the bathroom just as any cisgender person does. Do I believe woman deserve to have a place they can go without men being there? Yes. However, transgender woman ARE woman. And they should not have to go into a place with men. They belong in the women’s restroom. I am tired of being treated as if I am anything other than exactly who I am. I was born in the wrong body, but that doesn’t make me less of a man,” said senior Levi Powell.

Park is uniquely prepared to accommodate all students with single-use restrooms added throughout the building in the most recent upgrades and renovations.

“I think that for both myself and staff we want to ensure that students are treated respectfully while we remain in compliance with the law,” said Head Principal Mrs. Dailer

“I struggled in school when they had gender neutral bathrooms limited to staff because of construction in staff restrooms. I would go the whole school day without using the restroom. That’s because no matter which bathroom I walked into (men or women’s) somebody was going to have a problem with it. Men don’t want me in there because they think I’m not manly enough to be a man. Women don’t want me in there because I’m clearly too manly to be a woman. I should be able to use the men’s bathroom with no problem. However, I don’t feel like getting sent to the principals office just because I have to pee. It’s a lose-lose situation. Transgender people can never catch a break. Binary’s are so forced in society, and until we stop forcing them, transgender people with forever be oppressed,” said Powell.

As many people have their own opinions on this topic, people shouldn’t be treated any differently. We all should be treated the same because at the end of the day, we’re all human.