A member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives says many people are under a large misconception when it comes to a proposed transgender rights bill. The bill would legally protect transgender people who want to use a gender-specific public facility according to what gender they identify with.

Representative Chris Markey of Dartmouth says the bill would ban discrimination, pointing out that walking into a bathroom designated for the opposite gender is not illegal.

"If I walk into a female locker room, I'm not committing a crime," says Markey. "I am committing a crime if I start to touch somebody without their consent, or if I do something different. That's a crime. That's my point. What [opponents are] trying to say is just by going in a bathroom, you're committing a crime. You're not. There is no crime committed."

While Markey supports most of the bill, he worries that it may be too broad in some cases.

"My real concern is just the practical side of dealing with cases that are for young people on both sides of the issue, having it done with some dignity and dealth with in a proper way. I think that needs to be done on a case-by-case basis."

Markey says the bill would allow students to use a gender-specific bathroom of their preference, no questions asked. He says he'd like to see an amendment that would require individual assessments in the school setting to ensure the safety and privacy of all students is respected.

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