In November 2024, Ohio Senate Bill 104 sat on Governor Mike DeWine's desk, awaiting his signature to become law. The bill required individuals in schools and colleges to use restrooms and other facilities that align with their sex assigned at birth. Kathy Bowers, an instructor at Sinclair Community College, a Republican, and a trans woman, wrote a letter in response. In this episode of "Translucent," Bowers will read excerpts of that letter.
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Bowers said her first reaction to the bill was anger, knowing it would force her to use men's restrooms while teaching her students.
"This would be extremely awkward and embarrassing for me," she wrote to DeWine. "Imagine I'm in the middle of a class I teach, and we go on break. I will then, as a female in all aspects at this point in my life, have to follow my students into the men's restroom."
Most of Bowers' students are male, given that she teaches manufacturing-related courses. The law, she said, would have the effect of "tattooing a red T on my forehead."
After the initial anger, Bowers said her emotions shifted to fear. She worried about the safety implications, particularly for younger transgender people who might be forced into similar situations.
"There are plenty of people out there that want to instill violence upon transgender females," she wrote. "This bill now increases the opportunity for those people by increasing the chances of the two parties interacting with each other."
Bowers drew parallels to how gay children were treated when she and DeWine were in school, questioning how transgender students would be treated in today's climate when forced to use facilities that don't match their gender identity.
Despite being a registered Republican, Bowers said in her letter that she is disappointed with her party's position on the issue.
"It generally hurts to know that a party for which I used to be proud to be a member wants to perpetuate a fearful environment on a small portion of the population," she wrote.
After Bowers read her letter, I interviewed her.
For the politicians who have crafted this sort of anti-trans legislation, Bowers said that she would encourage them to get to know transgender people personally.
"My thing would be for the politicians to try to understand transgender people," she said. "Meet some, talk to them, get a feel for it. Not just listen to some headlines or whoever sponsors this bill, listen to their rhetoric."
Bowers also said she worries about the mental health impact of the bathroom bill on younger transgender people.
"I can understand a young child getting pushed over the edge," she said. "Their lives are just starting, or haven't even started. I just can't imagine why you would do that to a young person."
Senate Bill 104 was signed into law on November 27, 2024, and took effect on February 25, 2025. For many trans and nonbinary people in Ohio, it marked a significant setback, but it has also sparked continued advocacy for change.
This story was produced at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO. Translucent is made possible with support from The Rubi Girls Foundation.
