Transgender Bathroom Controversy: Harassment Causes Majority Of Transgender People To Avoid Public Restrooms, Study Finds

More than half of transgender people in the United States avoid using public restrooms, according to a recent survey. The National Center for Transgender Equality polled 27,715 transgender adults, the largest population of transgender people in the U.S. ever surveyed, and found that 59 percent avoided using a public bathroom. Thirty-two percent reported limiting the amount they ate and drank to prevent having to use a bathroom.

Twenty-four percent of the respondents said their presence in a public restroom was questioned or challenged and 12 percent said they had been verbally harassed while using a public bathroom. Nine percent said they were denied bathroom access altogether.

"The findings reveal disturbing patterns of mistreatment and discrimination and startling disparities between transgender people in the survey and the U.S. population when it comes to the most basic elements of life such as finding a job, having a place to live, accessing medical care and enjoying the support of family and community," the survey's summary said.

Other questions found that 48 percent of respondents thought about suicide in the past year, while 40 percent actually attempted it. Thirty percent said they had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives and 29 percent reported currently living in poverty.

The findings come amid nationwide debate over controversial transgender bathroom laws. In March 2016, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory passed House Bill 2, sparking heated debate among communities and state and federal governments. The bill required transgender people in the state to use the bathroom corresponding with the gender on their birth certificate. Many viewed the law as discriminatory, prompting various businesses and performance artists to pull out of the state.

McCrory's successor, newly elected Democrat Roy Cooper, has said he'll repeal the law.

Texas is now debating passing a bathroom bill of its own.

"I think the handwriting is on the bathroom wall: stay out of the ladies' room if you're a man," said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick when asked about the issue in April. "If it costs me the election, if it costs me a lot of grief, then so be it. If we can't fight for something this basic, then we've lost our country."