Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for GLAADCaitlyn Jenner got political Friday as she addressed an issue close to her heart and those of the rest of the LGBT community and their supporters.
The 66-year-old star of E!'s I Am Cait and Olympian came out as a transgender woman last year. In March, North Carolina became the first state to bar transgender people from using public restrooms that do not match the sex assigned to them at birth. The ban has spurred bands such as Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam to cancel concerts in North Carolina and for major businesses such as PayPal to cancel planned projects there.
A similar law in Mississippi, also signed this month, allows employers to cite religion when determining policies on bathroom access and dress codes. The measures have sparked debate about the privacy and safety of both transgender and non-transgender patrons of public and work restrooms.
"We all want safety and privacy in public bathrooms," Caitlyn wrote on her website. "But these anti-LGBT bills, like the ones in North Carolina and Mississippi, actually make us less safe, not more safe. They open the door to abuse, aggressive and confrontational behavior in bathrooms, and encourage strangers to demand that women and girls prove that they are actually female in order to use the restroom. No one wants that."
"If one of these harmful bills is introduced in your city or state, please take a moment and listen to the stories of actual transgender people who live near you," she added. "Let's help their voices are heard over the fear mongering from the other side."
North Carolina is one of more than a dozen states that have considered or are currently considering similar anti-transgender laws. Caitlyn noted that other bills and policies regarding LGBT rights are also being debated in Tennessee, South Carolina and Kansas, which like North Carolina and Mississippi, are also traditionally mostly Republican states, as well as in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Washington state.
"I've spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of message these harmful bills send, especially to transgender youth growing up in these states," Caitlyn said.
Other states are taking the opposite approach: The mostly Democratic Massachusetts Senate plans to vote on a bill that would prohibit public discrimination against transgender people.
"We need more bills like the one in Massachusetts—bills which ensure that every transgender person, no matter what state they're growing up in, can go to school safely and get the education they deserve," Caitlyn said. "We need to make sure they can put that education to good use by getting a job and making a living for themselves and supporting their families. We need to make sure they can buy a home and go out to a restaurant or a movie theater without facing harassment."
"And yes, we need to make sure those trans kids—and all transgender people—can use the restrooms that align with how they live every day," she added.