Looking back, Wednesday’s news was dominated by 1) GOP town halls crowded with protesters testifying they face certain death without Obamacare, despite having lived decades with no inkling they needed it; and 2) a revival of the transgender bathroom argument that captivated the nation during Obama’s second term.
Just for fun, here’s a flashback to Barack Obama at a town hall of his own claiming he’d never made a big deal out of transgender bathrooms — after having his attorney general issued a directive to every public school in the nation.
Pres denies he made transgender bathroom choice an issue. Agrees "there are a lot of things that are more pressing." pic.twitter.com/I4XyMJ3vKK
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 2, 2016
Today’s big development was President Trump reversing Obama’s directive. The statement is well worth reading as inoculation against any hysteria making the rounds on social media and cable news panels.
Trump reverses Obama directive on transgender students & public school bathroom use pic.twitter.com/6N7vs5LXUs
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) February 23, 2017
The ACLU sent out a multi-tweet response to the news, complete with its own shot and chaser.
BREAKING: Trump administration rescinds guidance addressing how Title IX education law protects transgender students. #StandWithGavin
— ACLU (@ACLU) February 23, 2017
OMG, everybody panic!
The Trump administration does not have the authority to undo legal protections for transgender students. #StandWithGavin pic.twitter.com/tlJHbqKyNV
— ACLU (@ACLU) February 23, 2017
Won’t somebody think of the transgender students in crisis? Oh, wait, one more thing.
President Trump's revocation of the guidance, however, does NOT undo legal protections for transgender students. #StandWithGavin
— ACLU (@ACLU) February 23, 2017
Not sure whether to panic or not. Until then, it might be comforting to think back to the progress made under the Obama administration.
Remember how awesome it was when some woke staffer in 2015 realized the White House itself didn’t have transgender restrooms, so they slapped a sign outside a restroom in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building? That was written up by CNN, and the Guardian, and the Independent, and POLITICO, and ABC News, and Fox News, and NBC News, and Reuters, and the Christian Science Monitor, and everyone else, essentially.
Here’s a photo so the American people who couldn’t be there in person to genuflect and maybe duck in to pee can always remember.
Snapped this at White House in Oct. I remember thinking at time it was nice reminder of the steady march of progress. pic.twitter.com/peoKZPFHH4
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) February 22, 2017
I wonder if that sign is still there…
— Trumpstain Lowgrabber (@MartinPribble) February 22, 2017
Odds that it is still there?
— Arlen Parsa (@arlenparsa) February 22, 2017
Glad you caught it before it was ripped off the wall!
— Carol Demcak (@CarolDemcak) February 23, 2017
Where is the sign now? Do we want to know?
god knows what it says now…
— 2zen2 (@2zen2) February 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/bonniegrrl/status/834570172857847809
Ha! Good one!
.@Susan_Hennessey now it says "Whites Only." Sad.
— @danstrempf (@danstrempf) February 22, 2017
Ha! Good one!
Now it probably says "White men only"
— Media Queen (@twilliams1961) February 22, 2017
Ha! Good one!
And it is a Men's Room today, no doubt. So few women there to need it. No transgendered at all. Welp!
— BKGail (@gila43) February 22, 2017
I'm sure this was promptly ripped off the wall on inauguration day.
— Rachel [[REDACTED]] (@raquela09) February 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/PresLordBarkis/status/834578678923280386
It's probably been Executive Ordered into a bin somewhere. #regress
— Tim Brannigan (@tim_brannigan) February 22, 2017
two steps forward infinity backwards….never ending. Save the pic as maybe suitable for a museum
— Winnie Hewett (@WLHakaWin) February 23, 2017
Better yet, remove the whole bathroom and put it on display in the Obama Presidential Center where it belongs.
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