* Sun-Times…
Tempers flared on the state Senate floor Thursday during debate of Democratic-led measures, including a bill that clears the way for gun manufacturers to be sued and another that would allow businesses to create multi-capacity bathrooms open to all genders — an idea one Republican warned will spark violence.
State Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, told lawmakers that he would “beat the living p—” out of any man who walked into a restroom with his daughter.
“This is gonna cause violence, and it’s gonna cause violence from dads like me,” the Moline firefighter and paramedic said to some cheers from fellow Republicans during floor debate on the measure. […]
The legislation, which now heads back to the Illinois House, would allow businesses to construct all-gender multi-capacity restrooms, but it would not require them to do so. The restrooms would include floor to ceiling stall dividers with locks and toilets instead of urinals, among other provisions.
* WTTW…
State Sen. Kim Lightford, D-Maywood, said those who have problems with gender neutral bathrooms have a problem with the LBGTQ+ community.
“And it sounds like these are the same people who act as if they don’t have family members or friends who are members of the LBGTQ community,” Lightford said. “It sounds like it’s people who don’t understand that life is evolving. People are changing and growing and not afraid to be who they are and as a society we ought to offer options. So if you do not want to go in that particular bathroom, then just don’t frickin’ do it. Don’t go in the bathroom, don’t’ take your kids in the bathroom, just don’t use it.”
Nobody is forcing anyone into a unisex restroom. And nobody is forcing anyone to build any, either. The idea is to establish strong regulations in case somebody wants to build such a thing. Also, keep in mind that this bill is backed by the Illinois Pipe Trades Association, Chicago Plumbers Local 130, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, the American Institute of Architects, the Illinois Public Health Association, the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
* AIDS Foundation Chicago and Equality Illinois…
We applaud the Illinois Senate for passing HB 1286 and urge the Illinois House to act expeditiously to send the bill to the governor. Simply, the bill reduces red tape and eliminates unnecessary regulations by allowing businesses to adopt gender-inclusive multi-occupancy restrooms, if they want. The bill is not a requirement. If a business chooses to do so, they must follow strong privacy and safety parameters established by the legislation. Thank you to our legislative champions State Sen. Celina Villanueva and State Rep. Katie Stuart.
This bill has been the subject of so much disinformation and violence, including threats of physical harm against Rep. Stuart earlier this year and transphobic violence advocated by a state senator during debate Thursday. This violent language is appalling and emblematic of what trans and gender-expansive people experience in their daily lives. According to the US Trans Survey in 2015, 58% of trans respondents in Illinois avoided using a public restroom because they were afraid of confrontations or other problems they might experience. The violent language like that used by the state senator gives license to transphobic actors to harm trans people. Enough is enough.
Illinois is a welcoming and affirming state. The Illinois House can forcefully act against such hate and violence by swiftly passing the common-sense and permissive HB 1286.
…Adding… What he’s saying about the bill is just completely untrue. Illinois already legalized that in the Kitty Litter Omnibus Act of 2021 /s…
- low level - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:04 pm:
Sen Anderson, you do that, you’ll be charged with assault. Its that simple.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:09 pm:
Anderson told us exactly who he is, and how simple his thinking is too.
It’s a personal thought, his thought. No ambiguity to his belief either.
It’s truly disappointing.
To the whole of it all?
Will it haunt or follow Anderson? It’s his belief and thought, so others reading or hearing Anderson’s take, how that translates to holding Anderson accountable or the fate of things, it’s all yet to be seen, and walking it back seems like a tall ask.
Disappointing all the way around, also dangerous rhetoric embraced too.
- MisterJayEm - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:10 pm:
“This is gonna cause violence, and it’s gonna cause violence from dads like me”
Sen. Neil Anderson’s invocation of violence will be jarringly familiar to anyone who has ever read about the civil rights era desegregation of washrooms and water-fountains.
– MrJM
- Candy Dogood - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:12 pm:
===State Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, told lawmakers that he would “beat the living p—” out of any man who walked into a restroom with his daughter.===
Sounds like someone has demonstrated that he is unfit for public service and establishments should refuse to serve a person who is so unable to control himself he’ll attack people for using a bathroom.
It certainly seems like no one is safe to share a bathroom with Neil Anderson. I fully support a Neil Anderson bathroom ban and a ban on Neil Anderson from all establishments with a bathroom in order to protect the public from this deranged lunatic.
He must publicly apologize for his remarks, or the Senate must take action at his incredibly clear support for violence against the LGBTQ community.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:13 pm:
–you’ll be charged with assault.–
Sadly, that depends which sheriff, and which State’s Attorney, are involved.
- vern - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:15 pm:
“Gives license” doesn’t begin to cover it. He made a direct threat of personal violence against people who just need to use the bathroom. If he can’t find his way to an apology and retraction, that’s the end of any previous reputation Anderson built for moderation or decency.
If any Republican electeds are opposed to beating up trans people for using the bathroom, now would be a great time to say it out loud.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:15 pm:
My experience, those who talk the meanest game are usually the last to back it up.
- Betty Draper’s cigarette - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:17 pm:
We have a multi capacity all gender bathroom at my work now. I work in a garage. The men never go in when I (female)use it. Same with me. I don’t go I when they are using it. It’s not all that dramatic.
- Occasional Quipper - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:18 pm:
As a conservative, it’s frustrating to watch Republicans who do such a poor job of “picking their battles”. This bill doesn’t require anyone to go into a bathroom they don’t want to go into. Senator Anderson, just go somewhere else and avoid the situation altogether. A bill requiring all bathrooms to allow all genders would be a different story, but this wasn’t that.
- Jerry - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:20 pm:
Well he could move to Florida where there has been a Government takeover of the bathroom by “Conservatives” who supposedly believe in limited government.
- Jocko - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:24 pm:
He’s 41…going on 14.
I’m surprised his GOP colleagues didn’t whoop and shake their fist like the audience at an Arsenio Hall taping.
- West Sider - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:34 pm:
Those who tout Anderson as a moderate member of the caucus are deluding themselves.
- Dirty Red - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:35 pm:
They never condemned violent threats against Deb Conroy and her staff, nor Sam Yingling nor Bob Morgan. Why would their constituents be any different?
Proft & Co are still in business without any attempt whatsoever of a separation.
Former Congressional and Constitutional hopefuls who have been around long enough to know better are leading the charge against book banning protections and blaming their votes on the map - not their own recruiting, financing and staffing.
This isn’t, nor has it been for quite some time, the party JBT, Edgar, Thompson and Kirk tried to lead it to be. At least now it’s out in the open instead of confined to caucus and committee meetings.
This is disgusting. All stop.
- Baloneymous - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:36 pm:
It’s unsettling how one party is so at ease about the use of violence or the threat of violence when responding to public restrooms, election results, and so on. This male macho culture about violently attacking a transgender person just because they use the same restroom as one’s daughter should terrify all of us. And the fact other Republicans cheered him on rather than immediately denounced his rhetoric is even more disturbing. I’m not sure if Rep. Anderson is professional or mature enough to hold elective office along with his cheering colleagues.
- lake county democrat - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:37 pm:
Someone should ask the Moline fire department if they’re going to keep someone who avows to break the law.
- Former Downstater - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:39 pm:
==I’m surprised his GOP colleagues didn’t whoop and shake their fist like the audience at an Arsenio Hall taping.==
If you see the video, they did. Lots of applause and shouts of approval.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:40 pm:
===My experience, those who talk the meanest game are usually the last to back it up. ===
These remarks are official remarks made on the floor, not from a Facebook group for dads who peaked in high school.
Nevermind his contribution to a hostile work envinronment in the legislature itself.
- Norseman - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:44 pm:
Anderson arguing the emotion, not the facts. Playing on the hate to the detriment of humanity. We now know what he is and will point to him as an example of what’s wrong with his party and too many in the country.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:46 pm:
Sen Anderson - maybe you could meet them after school behind the gym? Though I think you must have missed civics class and what it means to be a public official.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:51 pm:
I have a lot of questions about how he plans to continue as the minority spokesperson for the Public Safety Committee, or contribute to the Criminal Law Committee with his clear promotion of the opposite.
- Politix - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:54 pm:
Most use gender neutral bathrooms in their homes every single day. This is nothing new.
- Jerry - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 12:56 pm:
These Republican “xtians” sure do have an odd way of carrying the message of their supposed deity who kinda said to treat others the way you’d want to be treated.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:05 pm:
===State Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, told lawmakers that he would “beat the living p—” out of any man who walked into a restroom with his daughter.
“This is gonna cause violence, and it’s gonna cause violence from dads like me,” the Moline firefighter and paramedic said to some cheers from fellow Republicans during floor debate on the measure. […]===
Makes me wonder, “as a dad” would he *require* that same daughter to carry a pregnancy to term, even if it is medically challenging.
- Curious - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:09 pm:
Does no one in the media seem to think Leader Curran might have a valuable perspective on one of his members threatening violence?
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:10 pm:
President Harmon - Did you have anything to say? Did I miss it?
- West Side the Best Side - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:12 pm:
If I was a resident of Moline don’t think I’d have much faith in their Fire Department. Do they check out the beliefs of homeowners before running into a burning building or performing CPR?
- Dirty Red - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:18 pm:
Worth noting there is a gender neutral bathroom in the Senate.
- DuPage Saint - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:18 pm:
Actually aren’t all Porta Potties gender neutral ? Does he have a problem with them at concerts, fairs, games, etc?
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:19 pm:
“My experience, those who talk the meanest game are usually the last to back it up.”
Not wrong.
Mine also tells me that if the do back it uo they make sure they have at least 1 buddy next to them when they do it.
They seem to think 2 or 3 on 1 is a fair fight as long as they are in the 2 or 3.
- JS Mill - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:23 pm:
=My experience, those who talk the meanest game are usually the last to back it up.=
The thing is is he thinks he is being a tough guy when in fact he is being a coward.
Here is the other thing, some have mentioned transgender people but this isn’t about transgender people. The law is about “gender neutral” bathrooms. They are not mens or womens bathrooms for people who identify with a particular gender. These bathrooms are literally for everyone.
SO, what he is saying is that if someone follows the rules he mat assault them for it.
I am not sure that would necessarily go the way he thinks it would.
Plus he should not go to Europe. Hw on’t like the potties there.
- Homebody - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:26 pm:
This is who the GOP is. Reactionary, shirt tempered, and proud to embrace violence against those they perceive as others, even if there is no actual evidence the other is doing anything to deserve that violence.
How much more evidence do the supposed “adults” who claim to be conservatives need before they actively move to minimize the influence of these types?
I’m reminded so much of the right wing warhawks and xenophobes of the early 00’s who kept demanding moderate Muslims denounce extremists.
- Captain Obvious - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:37 pm:
This has little to do with trans hate. Transgender women will not be the only men using these bathrooms. Do women in general feel safe in these bathrooms with men using them at the same time? Any data on that? I mean I don’t see it bothering most men, we’ll go anywhere. But I can see this situation causing women some discomfort. That said, the senator probably should have found a better way to explain his opposition.
- Montrose - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:53 pm:
I am very glad I live in a state where the guy spewing hate is in the legislative minority and has no power to stop LGBTQ inclusive legislation. Were this Opposite Land(TM), he would be moving legislation that criminalizes the LGBTQ community to the Governor’s desk.
- Arguenda - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 1:54 pm:
So, this man wants my fully-transitioned, buff, and bearded friend who was AFAB to go to the bathroom with his daughter (notice it’s always about protecting we of the ‘weaker’ that needs protection)? I cannot imagine how that would go. /s
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:02 pm:
Keep in mind that the same Republicans that tell you about protecting family are the same Republican Party that’s wants you to give privacy to family because of scrutiny.
- Norseman - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:09 pm:
Arguenda, you made me lol thinking about your example. It points out the absurdity of what the MAGA GOP wants to subject people to. Are we going to ask the overstretched overstressed police to respond to bathroom complaints? Will we have to carry our birth certificates to go #1? This is the insanity that the MAGA GOP wants to impose on us.
- H-W - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:13 pm:
Good on Sen. Lightford. Right on every point, including the implicit denial of kinship argument. In fact we all (as in the royal we) have relatives who are LGBTQ. Denying this in public settings is denying the truth. Disowning and discriminating against own brethren is immoral, unethical, an unjust.
Anderson’s explicit threat to assault any transgender woman he sees going into a unisex bathroom (why does his daughter matter?) should be censured. The lack of decorum is nauseating and offensive.
- Dotnonymous - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:16 pm:
What’s next with these sex obsessed people…Genital door checkers?…will Senator Anderson volunteer?
- JoanP - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:19 pm:
= Transgender women will not be the only men using these bathrooms. =
Transgender women will not be the only women using these bathrooms.
Fixed it for you.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:25 pm:
State Sen. Neil Anderson should have kept his own
counsel. Instead, he could have pointed out that optional or “may be” bills, are little more than signaling mechanisms. They accomplish no real-world goals as compliance/enforcement is discretionary, but they do put folks on the record.
- H-W - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:27 pm:
@ JoanB
Touché. Seriously. Touché.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:33 pm:
===State Sen. Neil Anderson should have kept his own
counsel.===
I can’t disagree more.
I want to know his thoughts, and when folks tell us who they are, we should believe them.
What you’re suggesting is the hate should still exist, “just don’t say it out loud”
Welp, Trump has empowered and embolden hate.
So, please, I want to know. Now I’m not confused on Anderson.
- Skeptic - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 2:40 pm:
“Genital door checkers?” That makes me think of a scene from “Porky’s”. Wouldn’t that be fun.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:06 pm:
Unfortunately, the GOP as a party has opened the door to transphobic hatred. That is evident in different states. Even DJT would be like, wait, this has gone too far. /s
- northsider (the original) - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:06 pm:
To view it from the other side:
When the ladies room line at a high school playoff game or concert is a mile long and a certain teenage daughter cuts into to men’s room because she can’t hold it any longer, how does Mr. Anderson expect the parents of the teenage boys react?
- Helen franken - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:09 pm:
Good thing Senator Anderson sends his kids to that highly-priced Christian school in Iowa.
- Near West Side - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:21 pm:
@ northsider, you obviously do not understand what the bill does. Maybe try reading it before commenting.
- Peters Piece - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:24 pm:
Thalia Hall has two large washrooms. One is signed ALL Stall, another is Stalls and Urinals. No references to gender. Works pretty well to get large numbers of folks in an out quickly so they can get back to the show or the bar.
- Steve Polit e - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:24 pm:
“all-gender multi-capacity restrooms” This sounds to me like adults and children alike, male, female, and all other gender identities would be able to use these “multi-capacity restrooms” at the same time. If the senator is concerned for the safety of his daughter, he could go in the restroom with her, and there would be no need to assault every man going into the same restroom.
Actually now that I think about it, for adults with young children this would be a good thing. I remember sending my daughter into a public women’s bathroom alone when she was a child. I would have felt better if I could have gone with her. In fact some establishments already have these, and they’re called family restrooms. I don’t see any difference. Any gender can use a family restroom, and some are multi-occupancy.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 3:51 pm:
Maybe we need to arm janitors to make sure these restrooms are safe. The best defense to multi-gender restrooms is a man with a gun, right?
- Bad Attitude - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 4:05 pm:
Sadly, it is doubtful that no amount of outcry and condemnation of the words spoken by Senator Anderson will be enough to move him to apologize. Statements like these open the door to violence against the Trans Community. A fact that is either unknown to the Senator or ignored.
As for the Democrats. Allyship is cute and makes for good talking points. But this body is severely underrepresented in the LGBTQIA+ Community, with just one openly gay Senator. In the past, majority members were not even in their seats when a roll call vote was called on previous legislation involving Trans Issues, causing past bills to fail; it shows that LGBTQIA+ issues are something that this majority does not see as a priority.
Where was the condemnation of these remarks by the President?
- H-W - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 5:32 pm:
@ Bad Attitude
I understand your frustration, but your implicit denouncing of Democrats as cute allies is misplaced, particularly here.
Legislators actually are the people in positions of power to sufficiently make change. As Weber said, “politics is the house of power.”
In that context, democrats in our legislature are making change for the better. That they are not doing so faster is a truism. That they are doing so, and have done so this session, deserves out ‘thanks’ at this time.
- @misterjayem - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 6:48 pm:
“Thalia Hall has two large washrooms. One is signed ALL Stall, another is Stalls and Urinals.”
Huh.
I never noticed.
– MrJM
- northsider (the original) - Friday, May 19, 23 @ 7:34 pm:
Near West— I fully understand the bill. I’m pointing out that Mr. Anderson’s remarks were illogical as well as hateful & threatening since he didn’t seem to consider that women are as likely (or more, given the generally longer lines) to make use of “men’s rooms”.
He only directed his hate and threats one way.