According to the Texas Attorney General's (AG) Office, AG Ken Paxton sued the City of Denton and city officials to prevent the creation of multiple-occupancy changing rooms at a publicly owned swimming pool that are so-called "gender-neutral."
The lawsuit comes ahead of a June 7 event dubbed "Big Gay Swim Day," organized by two nonprofit groups — PRIDENTON and OUTreach Denton —at the Quakertown Civic Center.
The AG's Office informs that event organizers have publicly advertised that "gender-neutral changing rooms" — which would allow men to use the same changing rooms as women and kids — will be available on-site during the event. The office states this is in clear violation of state law.
Mary Elizabeth Castle is the director of government relations at Texas Values.
"The Texas Women's Privacy Act was passed last year at the Texas Capitol, and it's very simple. It defines male and female based on biological terms and simply says that men must go in men's private spaces and women must go in women's private spaces,” says Castle. “This applies to public schools, public colleges, domestic violence shelters, even our prisons, any government owned building."
Texas Scorecard reports that the Denton officials — prior to any action by the AG — proactively took all necessary measures to ensure full compliance with state law.
"It's an important issue because there have been many examples, even in schools, where men will go into women's restrooms and locker rooms, and women are in a state of undress. They're vulnerable," says Castle.
The city also said they intend to respond to the lawsuit and "reaffirm that the appropriate steps were taken to ensure the changing rooms at the Civic Center Pool comply with state law."
PRIDENTON and OUTreach Denton said they had already removed references to all-gender bathrooms from event advertising after being contacted by city staff.
