A student and his mother have set out to reverse a southern Oregon school district's policy that allows transgender students to use bathrooms that match their gender identity.

Summer Eastwood is suing the Sutherlin School District, its principal and its superintendent on behalf of her son, a 15-year-old sophomore at Sutherlin High School. The suit says the teenager, identified as T.B., felt uncomfortable and anxious when a transgender student used the boys' bathroom.

"The desire to shield one's unclothed body parts — genitalia in particular — from the view of strangers, especially those of the opposite sex, is driven by one's innate self-respect and desire for personal dignity," the suit says.

It also notes that the single stall restroom and nearest girls' restroom were open and empty.

Sutherlin High School has a policy that allows transgender students and gender non- conforming students to use whichever restroom best suits them.

Oregon is one of few states that has adopted protections for transgender students. State laws prevent students from being discriminated against based on their gender identity.

The issue has been subject of debate across the country for years. Even the Supreme Court of the United States has had to weigh in.

The Sutherlin lawsuit follows a federal lawsuit against Dallas School District where parents are also objecting to allowing a transgender male high school student to use boys' restrooms and locker rooms. The case is still pending.

Sutherlin School District Superintendent Terry Prestianni said he couldn't comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation. But in a letter included in the lawsuit, Prestianni said he is enforcing the transgender student policy based on advice from legal counsel.

The lawsuit says the school, a government agency, is infringing on T.B.'s right to not be seen partially naked by someone of the opposite sex.

"Essentially, a transgender person's feelings don't trump biology," said Ray Hacke, the student's lawyer.

The high school's assistant principal asked why the transgender student used the boys' restroom instead of the girls' restroom. "Because I can," the student replied, according to the suit.

Hacke said Oregon law sets out that no government agency can extend a privilege to one class of people, so by that logic cisgender people also should be able to use whichever bathroom they prefer, too.

But that's not the goal of the suit, he said. Rather, it's to have students use bathrooms and changing rooms based on their biology, not their gender identity, he said.