Transgender Student: South Dakota Bill Doesn’t Accept Me

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Sioux Falls transgender student Thomas Lewis waits until lunchtime to leave his high school and use the bathroom because administrators won't to let him use the men's room.

Now, South Dakota could become the first state to require that students use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their sex at birth if a bill under consideration becomes law.

Advocates say the bill is meant to protect the privacy of students, but opponents say it discriminates against vulnerable kids.

Lewis, who attends Lincoln High School, says the bill makes him feel like he's not a human being and that the state doesn't accept who he is.

The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota and Human Rights Campaign have been vocal in their opposition and have called on Gov. Dennis Daugaard to veto the legislation.

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