Johanna Ray planned a winter birthday party for her six-year-old son during the Feb. 22 open swim time at the Hamme Pool in Fairbanks. What was supposed to be a family friendly environment was quickly shattered when a transgender biological male entered into the women’s locker room as Ray’s daughters and other underage girls were undressing.
“We rarely bring our kids to the public pool, but there are pretty limited options for a winter birthday party in Fairbanks,” Ray said. “Unfortunately, our family had a very disheartening and disturbing experience at Hamme Pool.”
According to Ray, a transgender biological male was in the locker room while Ray’s daughters and other girls were undressing.
“The worst part is that I was upstairs setting up for the birthday party and wasn’t in there with them, until my sister-in-law showed up and made me aware of the situation,” Ray said. “When we approached pool staff, we were told we could use the bathroom in the lobby (with no showers) if we were uncomfortable.”
According to Ray, a pool supervisor said they would see if they could arrange a better solution.
“I suggested they offer the lobby bathroom to the transgender person,” Ray recalled. “Why should all my children and all the kids invited to my party have to use one tiny lobby bathroom with no shower, and have a biological male walk right into a room of naked changing women and little girls, completely violating their privacy and trust?”
This is not a family-friendly environment, and not how I want my tax dollars to be spent. In any other situation this would be a sexual offense.”
According to Ray he walked within a few feet of one girl with her clothes off.
“I did not see her mom in there with her,” she said.
Ray explained to the transgender person that a bunch of little girls were coming into the locker room to change for a swimming birthday party. She then asked if he would be willing to change in a gender-neutral bathroom.
“He said, ‘I’m not bothering you – go to hell lady,’ and flipped me off as he walked out,” Ray recounted.
She said the person attends a local high school with her older daughter and is allowed to use the girls’ bathroom at the school as well.
“I have no wish to single anyone out for being different, or to bring emotional trauma to anyone,” Ray said. “However, my daughters felt traumatized and confused about why there was a ‘boy in the girls bathroom!’ We teach modesty in our home at a young age. We can no longer feel safe in any public restroom/changing room after this experience.”
Ray said she has nothing against the transgender person but emphasized that policies which allow males to change in front of young girls “cross the line in a big way.”
“This is wrong,” she said. “This is not a family-friendly environment, and not how I want my tax dollars to be spent. In any other situation this would be a sexual offense.”
Somehow a biological male walking into a female locker room and viewing naked minors without their consent is a victim. Go figure.
Ray said she sent emails to every member of the Fairbanks Borough Assembly and has filed a police report. She is also considering whether to file a lawsuit against the borough.
In particular she is concerned that the borough’s policy may violate Alaska State Statute 11.61.123 which states that it is a crime for someone to knowingly view the private body parts of another person when they or their guardian are in a place that they could “reasonably” believe would not result in their body or body parts being viewed.
Ray said the pool even had a sign explaining that anyone over age five must go into the same-sex bathroom. That same rule is listed on the borough website for aquatic facilities.
“It seemed like they were going against their own rules and policy,” she said. “Somehow a biological male walking into a female locker room and viewing naked minors without their consent is a victim. Go figure.”
The Hamme Pool is a borough operated facility. The Watchman contacted the borough’s Public Information Officer Lanien Livingston, to seek clarification on what the policy is with regard to transgender people accessing bathrooms and locker rooms.
Livingston said the borough aims to provide “equal treatment” to all residents but does not have a formal policy with regard to transgender locker room usage.
When asked if biological males who identify as female are able to use women’s locker room and/or restrooms, Livingston said, “Our policy is not to discriminate against the use of borough facilities based on gender identity.”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
She said this nondiscrimination policy has been in place since 2020, and was approved by Borough Administration. The policy applies to all borough facilities.
Livingston added that when patrons feel uncomfortable using a locker room, borough staff “try to accommodate the patron as best we can,” which may include making single-room restrooms available for privacy.
The borough’s approach to its employees is similar, stating that “all borough employees may use restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.” Those who feel uncomfortable with this “may request the personal use of an already available private room or the use of a curtain in the locker room, where feasible.”
Likewise, the Fairbanks Borough School District policy allows school administrators to let students use whichever facilities correspond with their preferred gender identity.
In 2019, the City of Fairbanks voted 4-2 to approve an LGBTQ law that would have forced private businesses, nonprofits and other facilities to accommodate transgender events, services and practices, even if such accommodations violate a business or nonprofit owner’s deeply held personal beliefs. The law was ultimately vetoed by City Mayor Jim Matherly who said the issue should be decided by area voters through a ballot initiative.
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to contact members of the Fairbanks Borough Assembly.
— Click here to contact Fairbanks Borough Mayor Bryce Ward.
— Click here to contact members of the Fairbanks School Board.
28 Comments
So tell me what the difference is between this guy (transgender) walking in and seeing under aged girls and a pervert with the same thing on a computer? We all know the computer guy goes to prison!
No difference. One is celebrated! One is arrested!
You just won this argument – hands down.
Pretty much hit the nail on the head!
So are you insinuating that all homosexuals be banned from places that they need to use the same restrooms or changes rooms as the same gender? I’m confused with this statement as it appears as though you are insinuating that every single person in the world who prefers the same gender be thrown in jail or banned from everywhere. You do realize that being a homosexual or transgender or non-binary is not illegal correct?
Special circumstances require special measures. This is what private bathrooms are for. If someone struggles with homosexual tendencies, we should treat them with dignity and respect but not blind acceptance. What we should not do is cater to their desires to the detriment of innocent children. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it morally permissable. On the other hand what these people need is love not prison.
Whoisjoe,
How do you know who is a homosexual or pervert or child molester? None of those are identifiable just based on looks but everyone wants to single out transgenders. Just out of curiosity, do you know anyone who is transgender? I do and I can tell you from experience of knowing more than one, they do not want to be singled out or looked at any different than anyone else. They do not want to be placed into segregation just because of who they are. Are you insinuating that back when we had segregation with blacks and white that was acceptable? How is this any different? You want to segregate those who are doing things to make themselves happy and want them to live their lives miserably in segregation just to appease the public? Have you ever though about what it is like for them? Do you applaud bullies in school who make fun of children because of their clothing or hair styles or color of their skin? How is what you’re proposing any different than that? Once again I propose the question of: where in the article does it state this individual was walking around completely in the nude flaunting a naked body?
I stopped by today at 10:00 am. The sign on ladies locker room that says if your boy is over 5 maybe it was 6 urs old, must use the men’s restroom. And the sign on men’s door that says girls over 5/6 must use women’s locker room had been taken down in the last 24-48 hrs. When I enquired the staff said she knows nothing. I said, “uh you know nothing about the sign that has been up for like 15 years.”
She said she is a temp but remembers a similar sign at westcot in North Pole.
Hmm.
1.who took down the signs?
2.Who directed said person to remove the signs?
3. What was the reason for removing the signs.
AS 11.61.123. Indecent Viewing or Photography.
a) A person commits the crime of indecent viewing or photography if, in the state, the person knowingly views, or produces a picture of, the private exposure of the genitals, anus, or female breast of another person and the view or production is without the knowledge or consent of
(1) the parent or guardian of the person viewed, or who is shown in the picture, if the person who is viewed or shown is under 16 years of age;
“private exposure” means that a person has exposed the person’s body or part of the body in a place, and under circumstances, that the person reasonably believed would not result in the person’s body or body parts being (A) viewed by the defendant;
So let me ask you this then Mr. Sampson, a single mom of a son with disabilities, age 7, wants to take her kid swimming. Are you insinuating she throw him into the mens bathroom unsupervised and hope there’s no pedophiles in there? Or would you have the same response to a single dad bringing his disabled daughter into the mens bathroom to help her get ready or throw her into the womens bathroom alone and hope there’s someone nice enough to help her get ready? Child molesters and pedophiles are everywhere and there is no guarantee that one won’t be there the second that child is forced into a locker room unattended. So glad your idea of what’s right is to force people into situations they are uncomfortable with (I.E. your wonderful plan to throw unprepared 5th graders, over 300 sped) into middle school settings they are unprepared for. There are multiple ways for things to work and just because you don’t agree with something doesn’t make it right or wrong. It’s called a difference of opinion and I suggest you research that before jumping to conclusions about people and attacking them for not acting or being the way you believe is proper.
I believe this would be a perfect situation to apply the “accommodations” of a private bathroom as mentioned in the article. There used to be a time when special circumstances like this were handled with some level of common sense.
Rachel is one of those that is willing to sacrifice traditional values for all manner of perversion and mental illness. It is really a form of self loathing.
Rachel, please try to find some modicum of common sense.
Donewithit, you know its really pathetic that you have to accuse all transgenders of being perverts. Please try to grasp some form of reality and realize that not everyone who doesn’t conform to your generalized idea of “normal” is a pervert. Let me guess you don’t think gays and lesbians should be in the same rooms as the same gender either? Or is that completely different? Its people like you who try and run the world to fit into a small box that really annoy me. Do you have an issue with all people born with mental illnesses or is it just a target at this specific group of people?
shouldn’t*
Rachel would you be willing to contact me tobyblue21@gmail.com
Thank you Matt, this is unacceptable.
Rachel,
The only sort of discrimination I propose is between biological males and females. The segregation argument that you propose barely holds water. Let me elaborate; I’m not saying we need to segregate transgenders, they can use the same restaurants, gyms, etc… as anyone else. I’m only arguing that humans born with certain genitalia (regardless of how they feel on the inside) ought to be put in separate dressing rooms.
The death knell of a society occurs when all manner of perversion is normalized.
When did taxpayers, who believe in traditional values, have to have their values subverted fir people who have mental issues, the transgenders.
These people need help – stop normalizing this garbage progressives.
Well I believe the ather part of this is that these small girls are being subject to seeing full grown male anatomy. This is something small girls never see and should not have to. I have no desire for my 8 year old daughter to know what a naked full grown man looks like.
Jana, are you insinuating that this individual was walking around completely naked? I didn’t see any mention of that in the article.
This is stupid. We must stop enabling mental illness. If the individual has a penis, it must use the boy’s locker room. Why is this so difficult to understand?
This is because of the liberal movement in Washington, liberals/progressives/democrats, call them what you will, lack any form of male fortitude and as such develop laws that are perverse and accepting to those who want everyone else to capitulate to behaviors that are outside the norm, I.e. LGBT, sex change, abortions, cancel culture and so on. One only has to take a look at the Anchorage assembly for a clear example. And What do I mean by male fortitude? “Testicles”, Yes, this is where we are at, this general malaise of no testosterone in Washington has trickled down to others in the left worldwide. The cure is to expose them and stop voting these morons into office. Lets face it, perversion is perversion, you can’t water that down.
Andy, Greg, I Agree 100%
Arrested yes lock theses Sickos up
Cultural Marxism is pre normalization just a destructive measure /China & Russia protect their cultures and dont have multiculturalism normalization is just reg communist society
The stupidity is so astounding it is hard to comment. Locker room use should be dictated by biology, period. If a person is plagued by sexual identity issues it is they that should be provided a private changing room. Other patrons being free to use the locker room assigned to their biological gender, of which there are two. That is reality. Something the left seems to be losing the grasp of.
I think when you really examine the motive behind such madness as described in this story you will find that those who promote these things do so for but one reason. It is intended to humiliate the General Populace. Theodore Dalrymple makes the point that Communist propaganda is not to instruct or cajole but rather to humiliate. This happens when one is coerced to repeat an obvious lie. One then loses his sense of probity and becomes a liar and party to the evil itself. Gutless liars are much easier to control then men of principle. The question is, what will we do about it
I should think the behavior of the individual in question says most of what we need to know. “I’m not bothering you,” is a lie. He clearly was. Then the very classy and feminine move to flip her off showed precisely what he thinks of anyone who requires civil behavior. He acts like a He. He is looking for titillation and attention and nothing less.
People used to be afraid of cis lesbians in public locker rooms too, you know.
Me, are you saying that a one can be a lesbian, trapped in a man’s body too? Just wondering…