Did Massachusetts Find a Compromise Everyone Can Live With in the Transgender Bathroom Debate?

The Republican governor of Massachusetts has stated he will sign a law allowing people to use the public facility that corresponds with their gender identity, so long as it has one key provision.

Recognizing that opposition to transgender bathroom policies are rooted more in fear of individuals taking advantage of those policies than anything to do with actual trans people using the bathroom, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker may have found a compromise everyone can live with.

The new legislation would allow individuals to use public facilities that correspond with their preferred gender identity rather than their biological gender, but would include a provision for individuals who claim to be another gender for “improper purposes.” Basically, this prevents a man from simply claiming to be trans just so he can walk into the ladies locker room with his iPhone camera ready to go. If anyone was found to be exploiting this policy for any purpose other than using the bathroom would be in violation of the law.

Baker said this provision “supplies the right amount of clarity with respect to the public safety questions that other people have raised” while bringing the state in-line with new federal standards.

Is that it? Can it be this simple? Did Massachusetts just settle the great bathroom debate? I’m sure individuals on both sides of the debate will scoff that this isn’t good enough, but for those of us with rationality see that this policy allows people the freedom they seek without giving a free pass to predators to use the ladies room.