[lily.]

Coy Mathis Case: School District Refuses To Enter Into Mediation With 6-Year-Old Transgender Girl Banned From Bathrooms

The family of a 6-year-old transgender Colorado girl who was banned from using her school's girls' bathroom are disappointed that the school district is refusing to enter into mediation talks with them so she could return to the school, according to The Colorado Springs Gazette.

Coy Mathis, a first-grader who had been attending Eagleside Elementary School in Fountain, Colo., is now being home schooled after the school told her in January that she could not longer use the girls' bathroom. Fox31 reports that the school told them Coy's only options were to use the nurse's bathroom, the boy's bathroom or the staff bathroom.

Coy was born a boy, but identifies as a transgender female and had been attending the school since 2011, however her parents say not until January of this year had the school confronted them with this.

So, her parents, Kathryn and Jeremy Mathis, filed a complaint against Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 with the Colorado Civil Rights Division in February with the hopes that the school would change its stance, according to The Denver Post.

Unfortunately, it appears they will not. The Gazette reports that not only will the school district not enter into mediation with the family, they are also refusing to comment on their decision not to do so.

"They’re creating a giant divide and that’s a huge loss for the school because they have a really good opportunity for their students," Kathryn told Fox 31 KDVR.com. "They’re using it as a way to discriminate instead."

But WPTV cites attorney W. Kelly Dude, who represents Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8, as saying there are no Colorado cases which require public schools to permit transgender students to use restrooms of the gender with which they identify thus far.

Dude added that in ruling that Coy wouldn't be allowed to use the girls' restroom, the school "took into account not only Coy but other students in the building, their parents, and the future impact a boy with male genitals using a girls' bathroom would have as Coy grew older," according to the report.

"However, I'm certain you can appreciate that as Coy grows older and his male genitals develop along with the rest of his body, at least some parents and students are likely to become uncomfortable with his continued use of the girls' restroom," Dude added.

But Coy's family says that separating their daughter from the rest of her classmates sends a message that it is okay to discriminate.

Last month, Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 released this statement about their decision:

The parents of Coy Mathis have filed a charge of discrimination with the Colorado Division of Civil Rights. They have chosen to publicize this matter by appearing on a nationally televised show with their child, sharing their point of view with national and local media, and holding a public press conference to announce the filing of the charge. The District firmly believes it has acted reasonably and fairly with respect to this issue. However, the District believes the appropriate and proper forum for discussing the issues identified in the charge is through the Division of Civil Rights process. The District is preparing a response to the charge which it will submit to the Division. Therefore, the District will not comment further on this matter out of respect for the process which the parents have initiated.

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I might not be popular for saying this, but I think 6 years old is far too young to identify as anything. At that age, they might as well identify as a cat or a dog. I think this whole thing boils down to attention-seeking parents. It's kinda sad.

[Ninastar]

i totally agree.

[Mrluvaluva]

I totally agree. What 6 year old knows what they want in life? It all sounds a bit strange?

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by lily.

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I might not be popular for saying this, but I think 6 years old is far too young to identify as anything. At that age, they might as well identify as a cat or a dog. I think this whole thing boils down to attention-seeking parents. It's kinda sad.

This is a difficult one especially when your not in that situation but I agree 6 is too young to be pinning labels.

[Z]

I think someone posted a thread about this recently, I agree, how could you possibly know at that age?

[Omah]

Originally Posted by Ninastar

i totally agree.

Originally Posted by Mrluvaluva

I totally agree.

I totally agree.

[Shaun]

eh, who knows. It's pretty ignorant to just say outright that 6 year olds don't know what they want to be, or how they want to be treated. It's not like it's a discipline issue. It might just be a phase, and a harmless one.

[Benjamin]

Even so, they were born a boy.

[Jack_]

Yeah cause even if she (he) did use the girl's bathroom she's (he's) really going to come onto one of them aged 6 years old ******s

[Benjamin]

Clearly this family are desperate for money and using their child to get some.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Ben

Even so, they were born a boy.

So are all transgender people who later go on to be female... is there a cut-off point now? Where exactly should it be?

[Jack_]

Originally Posted by Ben

Even so, they were born a boy.

So no transgender person should be able to use the toilets of the gender that they identify as? How liberating

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Jack_

Yeah cause even if she (he) did use the girl's bathroom she's (he's) really going to come onto one of them aged 6 years old ******s

The child is a boy. He should be using the boy bathrooms regardless if he or his parents want him to be girl. He is not.

If you were to allow him this now, at what age would there be a cut off point for him using the female toilets? Or wouldn't there be?

He is six years old, you don;t know what you want or who you are at this age, and still belive this is just the parents wanting some money.

[Ninastar]

Originally Posted by Shaun

eh, who knows. It's pretty ignorant to just say outright that 6 year olds don't know what they want to be, or how they want to be treated. It's not like it's a discipline issue. It might just be a phase, and a harmless one.

but in most cases, it seems like the parent's are pushing for them to feel this way. i don't think it's fair at all.

they should know what makes you a boy and what makes you a girl. i dont think they can properly understand what some adults struggle to understand themselves. this isn't something parents can teach IMO

i dont want to come across as 'ignorant' or 'transphobic', i just don't think it's right when parents bring their children up like this.

[Z]

You haven't even started to sexually develop at age six, your only references for what your gender is, is what society tells you - e.g. girls wear pink and like Barbies, boys like football and fighting - kids are kids, they're not hormonal and they're not sexual entities. Your gender is a societal construct until you have the capability to know it, in my opinion. Six years old is not when you start to become aware of yourself.

[Shaun]

pushing... maybe... and throwing them into the limelight is, I agree, unfortunate (although the afterthought of fighting prejudice, usually)...

on the flip side of the coin if the kid did genuinely grow up to be a transgender consenting adult, and they'd forced them to act like a "normal boy" (which, by the way, is a really sexist attitude) as a child, it'd be decried as immoral, no?

[Shaun]

and wanting some money? from who? if anything they're losing it in legal battles

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Shaun

pushing... maybe... and throwing them into the limelight is, I agree, unfortunate (although the afterthought of fighting prejudice, usually)...

on the flip side of the coin if the kid did genuinely grow up to be a transgender consenting adult, and they'd forced them to act like a "normal boy" (which, by the way, is a really sexist attitude) as a child, it'd be decried as immoral, no?

Forcing them to be something there not is immoral, yes, but this in particular isn't. They have been given options, either use the boys and if they don't want to use them then they have the nurses toilets or staff toilets, so they are not really being forced into anything if they don't want to, but they also have to think about all the other children.

These ignorant parents cannot expect the whole world to bow down to their demands because their child may feel uncomfortable when him being in their may make the other children feel uncomfortable.

[Z]

I don't think there's any right answer to this predicament at this stage, time will tell. If this child does grow up and continues to wish to be a female, then I agree that it is wrong to harshly judge the parents and the child for this situation, but you have to admit that it seems fairly preposterous that a six year old has decided he wants to be raised as a girl. It's unusually early to reach such a conclusion, and an extremely well informed decision made by a very young mind.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Jack_

So no transgender person should be able to use the toilets of the gender that they identify as? How liberating

You got it. I don't care if that makes me ignorant. For example, why should I be made to feel uncomfortable in a toilet because somebody else is uncomfortable in another? How is that fair?

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by Zee

I don't think there's any right answer to this predicament at this stage, time will tell.

that much is probably true given the lack of clarity on the whole nature vs. nurture debate on a variety of things - sexuality, gender identity, mental illness, sociopathy - it's awkward.

But I think that most people use bathrooms for two reasons: to piss and to defecate. This whole "what if he shows his willy to girls!" taboo is really quite offensive. It's suggesting that transgenders are sexual deviants.

Unless of course the school's parents are just of the "I don't like this! It's new!" variety in which case... that's progress for you

[Shaun]

Although that opens up the debate as to why we have separate toilets at all... and now I can't find an argument in favour of them LOL

[Withano]

Originally Posted by Ben

You got it. I don't care if that makes me ignorant. For example, why should I be made to feel uncomfortable in a toilet because somebody else is uncomfortable in another? How is that fair?

I agree.. Whats stopping a 50 year old sexual predator putting on a mini skirt and going in the wrong bathroom claiming its how he feels on the inside. One rule for all tbh.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by BigBrother3232

I agree.. Whats stopping a 50 year old sexual predator putting on a mini skirt and going in the wrong bathroom claiming its how he feels on the inside. One rule for all tbh.

What's stopping a 50 year old sexual predator is the law. That's like saying "but what if a male drug dealer uses the girls toilets to deal drugs?"

uh... he'd get caught?

this kid most likely wants a poo.

[Z]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Although that opens up the debate as to why we have separate toilets at all... and now I can't find an argument in favour of them LOL

LOL I know right, I can't think of any good reason beyond "because it stops men from sexually assaulting women", as if someone who's going to commit a sexual assault is going to be stopped by a sign that says it's not for their gender. "Oh, I was going to show her my genitals, but I'm male and that's the female bathroom so now I guess I can't. "