Texas City Approves Transgender Bathroom Ban, Restricting Use To Biological Sex

The Odessa City Council has updated their city bathroom policy in what some call a divisive move.

According to NewsWest9.com, the Odessa City Council on October 22 updated a restroom ordinance that has been in place since 1989. The updated ordinance states "that use of public restrooms, changing rooms, and/or locker rooms will be restricted" to someone's biological sex. The ordinance also states that what is printed on someone's birth certificate is their biological sex.

Those who violate the ordinance could risk being fined $500 and receive a class C misdemeanor violation. According to the Texas Tribune, the updated ordinance also allows individuals to sue and to seek "no less than $10,000 in damages".

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Odessa Bathroom Ban Applies to Public Buildings

The ordinance applies to "any building, facility or space owned, leased or controlled by, or leased to, the city of Odessa including but not limited to community centers, libraries, airports, park facilities and administrative office buildings".

The are exclusions to the ordinance. Parents of children of the opposite sex who are younger than 12 years old. Maintenance and custodial workers, law enforcement, and medical emergencies.

Odessa Bathroom Ordinance Was Passed For Safety According To Leaders

The update to the ordinance was offered by Odessa Council member Chris Hanie who introduced the ordinance for safety reasons according to the Texas Tribune.

Council member Chris Hanie insisted he introduced the ordinance to protect the safety of his daughters and grandchildren.

“There's never been fear. 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,” Hanie said.

The ordinance passed 5-2. While there were many supporters of the updated ordinance, there were also those who disagreed.

One citizen told NewsWest9 that the ordinance will divide the community.

"It's really unfortunate that the city council decided to take a step that's going to just further divide the community and not allow the citizens of Odessa to actually comingle and coexist better. It's just going to paint a target on people's backs.”

The Mayor of Odessa, Javier Joven, released a statement this past Monday explaining that he supported the ordinance and also supported "changing the terminology from "opposite sex" to individual's birth sex".

The Mayor went on to say that Odessa is protecting citizens and that he listens to all view points according to NewsWest9.com.