WA Gov. “strongly opposed” to Trump administration revoking transgender bathroom guidance

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has lifted federal guidelines that said transgender students should be allowed to use public school bathrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender identity.

The Wednesday decision is a reversal of an Obama-era directive issued in May. It will now be up to states and school districts to interpret whether federal sex discrimination law applies to gender identity.

A letter sent to schools nationwide Wednesday by the Justice and Education departments says the earlier directive caused confusion and lawsuits over how it should be applied. The new letter says the guidance is lifted, but anti-bullying safeguards will not be affected.

Although the Obama guidance was not legally binding, transgender rights advocates say it was necessary to protect students from discrimination. Opponents argued it was federal overreach.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee released a statement saying he "strongly opposed" the reversal. He added the state will continue to remain a place for children to feel safe from discrimination and the state law, Anderson-Murray Act passed in 2006 will remain in place. He also said the rule put in place by the Human Rights Commission in 2016, will remain in place.

Seattle's mayor decried "the bullying coming from the White House" and criticized a move by the Trump administration to end federal protection for transgender students that required schools to allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.