Bearded trans woman beaten in Oregon after using women's bathroom, beater charged with hate crime

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Lauren Jackson, a homeless trans woman who used a woman's bathroom in a state park, was beaten by an Idaho man after his wife complained that Jackson's presence made her uncomfortable. I think we can all agree that an assault charge is reasonable. Is it reasonable to call this a hate crime?

twitter.com/CNN/status/1223340439081824263

What are hate crime laws in US?

Yes, it is. And I’m as gender critical as they come. But beating anyone up is not an answer to any problem and I suspect that the victim is particularly vulnerable. The beating happened not in self defence but as an attack on the person in the bathroom because of their trans status. Not acceptable, and I can say that while being also extremely pro women only spaces.

As far as I have read so far about this, Lauren went in, used the toilet, and came back out again.

This mans wife was uncomfortable, but Lauren didnt do anything other than use the facilities.

The assault didnt happen as a result of anything other than Lauren being Trans, as absolutely nothing happened, it is a hate crime to beat someone simply because of their trans status, so, yes, the police are correct in saying it's a hate crime.

What are hate crime laws in US?

In this case it's state law, Oregon, rather than federal law. I'd expect hate crime legislation to vary considerably from state to state.

Beating people up is not OK, but can someone explain how Lauren is vulnerable, and what danger Lauren might face using the men’s toilets? Since Lauren is indistinguishable from most men?

This is a good argument for third spaces.

If I saw Lauren I would assume Lauren was a man, as Lauren does not look as if Lauren identifies as a woman

Saying that though, Lauren did not deserve to be attacked.

it is extremely tedious to have write Lauren instead of a proper pronoun

I do not think that natal males belong in female spaces. I also think that physically attacking someone is absolutely unacceptable unless in self defence. Unfortunately it is violent males that make it unsafe for people like Lauren to be in either the male or female toilets. I support third spaces as well as strong action against male violence.

No one should be beaten / attacked so it is right that the husband was prosecuted.

It is important that single sex spaces are respected though, and I don't see why the above male felt justified to use the women's toilets.

If the attacker made reference to the victim being a transwoman, or if the victim presented as a transwoman, then yes. Given the jury convicted on all three charges, it seems probable that there was that sort of evidence. If the attacker had any plausible defence on that score, it would have been presented - apparently there were a lot of witnesses, so what happened was pretty clear.

If someone is attacked, and the attacker references the protected characteristic, then surely that's a hate crime? A real one, not the nonsense Harry Miller was dealing with.

I hope the victim has recovered well. It's a horrific offence, and the attacker is a complete arsehole.

It is a hate crime.

Shouldn't have been in the women's toilets

Disgusting victim blaming. No-one deserves violence irrespective of your feelings about whether a Transwoman should be in a female loo.

Male violence is unacceptable and the reason why we cannot have males in our spaces.

I absolutely condemn such violence.

Presumably this will be a charge of assault/battery?

Women are violently attacked and/or raped as a result of hate. It is not recorded as such because the female sex do not count under what constitutes a hate crime (well in the UK).

They weren't beaten up because they were a transwoman. They were beaten up because they were a man in a women's bathroom.

I read a story that said reference was made to trans status during the attack. That, if true, means it was a hate crime.

If there were no evidence that the attacker knew about trans status, I don't think a hate crime conviction could have resulted? In the bus attack on the two lesbians over here, there was an evidence hearing on whether the attack was homophobic, as it's an aggravating factor. Perhaps I'm wrong; my understanding is that it's the same in the States.

Either way, it was a horrible assault and I'm glad the attacker was jailed.

Women are violently attacked and/or raped as a result of hate. It is not recorded as such because the female sex do not count under what constitutes a hate crime (well in the UK).

Misogyny absolutely needs to be added as an aggravating factor, yes.

Violence is unacceptable (except in self defense).

That man sounds dangerous and I’m glad he’s been convicted. Hopefully he gets the help he needs.

If there were no evidence that the attacker knew about trans status, I don't think a hate crime conviction could have resulted?

In the UK at least a hate crime is determined purely by the person reporting.

How many years now have GC women pointed out that a man would sooner or later beat up a TW they felt threatened the privacy or safety of their wife/daughter/girlfriend/mother/sister in a single sex female space? Men don't tut and move away, and many will respond aggressively to another male trespassing too near or presenting a threat towards a female they see as theirs. You won't prosecute that out of men as a population any more than rape's been successfully prosecuted out of existence.

It is a hate crime. It's been provoked, it's for a very obvious reason, it was wholly foreseeable, and we're going to see more of it.

Third spaces.

Take the trans element out entirely, the initiation of the use of force is a moral violation, not to mention criminal. It is possible to realise that and then add the trans element back and be against Male bodies individuals access to female bodies persons spaces.

That’s the thing michelle women warned that this sort of thing might happen and were shouted down as transphobes

This situation just means women & TW aren’t safe from Male violence. Third spaces are needed.