Chants of “trans rights matter,” pride flags and signs overwhelmed the Norman Public Schools high school campuses as over 100 students protested Senate Bill 615 on Friday after a transgender student faced in-school suspension three times for using women’s restrooms.
NPS students protested the bill and the NPS administration’s response after Emery Jenkins, a Norman North High School sophomore and trans woman, was allegedly suspended three times for using women’s restrooms. SB 615 requires Oklahoma public school students to use restrooms or changing areas based on their sex assigned at birth, not their gender identity.
Oliver Cogan, a Norman High School sophomore, also said NHS teachers have been seen going into student restrooms to prevent students from using their preferred restroom.
Norman North High School protest
During the protest, Jenkins said she felt insulted by the NPS administration and that she’s been a woman her entire life. She said suspension has affected her ability to keep up in class.
“We’re spreading awareness to kids all across Oklahoma,” Jenkins said. “They are taking away our education for using the women's restroom. So we're fighting for them and we're fighting for me too.”
Nicole McAfee, Freedom Oklahoma executive director, wrote in an email after the protests that Freedom OK supports and advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.
They wrote Oklahoma students deserve welcoming school environments that offer spaces for them to learn and grow, no matter their gender identities.
“As a result of SB 615, students at some NPS campuses are facing discrimination and harassment from school staff, being denied access to bathroom facilities, based on their gender or perceived gender,” McAfee said. “We know these are not the only campuses where this is happening.”
In an email to OU Daily, Wes Moody, executive director of communications for Norman Public Schools, wrote NPS makes every effort to operate within the law. He wrote NPS strives to work directly with individual students and families to ensure their needs are met.
SB 615 requires Oklahoma public school boards to adopt a policy to provide disciplinary action for districts that refuse to comply. If a district fails to comply, it faces a 5 percent reduction in state funding
NNHS senior L.J Villamil said it’s been an emotional time despite some teachers doing the best they can to support trans students.
Villamil said NPS administration told her to use the men’s restroom — which she hasn’t used for years — after a student allegedly harassed her in the restroom. She said she resorted to using one of the three gender-fluid restrooms on campus.
“We are committed to making sure our schools are a safe, welcoming and productive learning environment for all students, regardless of their background, circumstances or immutable characteristics,” Moody wrote. “We certainly do not tolerate any form of bullying, intimidation or harassment.”
Jenkins said early last year, there were anonymous complaints from students who were uncomfortable with Emery using women’s restrooms. However, she said she continued to use the women’s restrooms despite being found and punished multiple times.
“If they aren’t comfortable with me using the restroom, they have every right to use a private restroom,” Jenkins said.
Villamil said she has been bullied for being trans, kicked out of the restroom and told to go “where they belong,” but said she won’t let that stop her from sticking up for the community.
“There was a right that was taken from us when we were told that if we were caught in the bathroom again, we could face suspension or be expelled,” Villamil said. “Making transgender students use different restrooms is segregation and unconstitutional.”
McAfee wrote 2SLGBTQ+ people have always been in the Norman community and have used restrooms that correspond with their gender identities.
“We deserve the dignity to do just that,” McAfee wrote. “We deserve the safety to thrive here in Oklahoma. We have said it before, and we will say it again, this fight is not over and we won’t stop until all 2SLGBTQ+ kids are safe.”
Villamil said the protests will continue until the law is changed.
“Waiting is no longer an option. We've waited too much and we need to just fight back,” Villamil said.
Norman High Schools Protests Oct. 21, 2022
Norman High School protest
At the NHS protest, Cogan said she decided to form a demonstration after a friend of hers was allegedly almost suspended for using the restroom of their choice. In a previous message to OU Daily, Cogan wrote her peers, who are trans women at NHS, have also been “harassed verbally and physically” by other students when using the men’s restrooms.
“We started talking to people, and we realized that it wasn't only an issue here at this school,” Cogan said. “We started talking about (how it’s) unfair how a lot of the students of the school aren't getting treated the same as other people.”
During the protest, Sara Cunningham, founder of a nonprofit organization that advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ people, Free Mom Hugs, said she hopes protests like this will inspire change in Oklahoma legislation.
“If our governor would spend one day with a transgender child, their family or with an endocrinologist, they would have all that they need to realize that this is a beautiful, spirit-filled community,” Cunningham said. “They bring a wellspring of creativity (and) humanity to our community, to our state, and they deserve to be here and to be celebrated”
Norman community member Hannah Smith said they are proud of what the students are doing.
“It makes me emotional,” Smith said. “I am nonbinary myself, and my wife is trans. To see students who are going through this time of discrimination and being scared — the fact that they're turning to each other and they're organizing and they're speaking out — makes me so proud of them.”
During the protest, Cunningham and Smith encouraged students to continue speaking out on the issue. Cunningham told students to never stop advocating because they are making a change.
“Our word needs to be out there and we need to show that it matters,” Cogan said. “These people have feelings, and they are people. They shouldn't be treated differently because of how they identify.”
