In 2010 I transferred to a new high school as a sophomore. I was a fifteen year old trans woman, a fact that did not go unrecognized by administration of my new school, who immediately told me I was the first trans student to ever attend.

The registrar had told me that in order to make me feel comfortable, I had been given open access to one of the faculty bathrooms in my fair sized high school campus with multiple floors and wings. And I used it, for a while, because I was somewhat uncomfortable in gendered spaces. Within the next year or so I had grown bolder, and more annoyed at the inconvenience and decided to stop. This also did not go unnoticed, and I soon myself staring down my principal in his office.

I was told that they had spoken with their attorney and had been told that I was legally required to use either the menâ€™s room or non-gendered restrooms, and that if I didnâ€™t listen I would receive detentions, and possibly more. I came prepared, with printed and highlighted court cases, state statutes, and title IX excerpts. They didnâ€™t listen, and refused to provide notes on the meeting or confirm that they had plans to punish me.

I listened for about a week, and like before, I grew bolder, and stopped. I concurrently sent a FOIA Request for the communication between the school administration and the attorney, and after that was denied, submitted another request for a clarification of what happened in the meeting and the guidance they had given me.

I was called down to my deanâ€™s office and told to calm down. I didnâ€™t. I instead sent my principal a letter and CCâ€™d every faculty member of importance at the school.