Idaho’s bathroom bill leaves transgender men like me with an impossible choice: jail or violence

“My name is Nikson Mathews. I am a Boise resident and a proud trans Idahoan. I stand opposed to this bill.” That is the opening statement I use every time I testify against anti- LGBTQ+ bills, most of which directly target trans people. Over the years, those words have come to mean more to me. It’s not easy to be trans in Idaho , but every time I testify against a bill, I look those legislators in the eye and remind them that I am their constituent and a proud trans person. It means that every single day, when I am out in public, I have to ask myself, do I feel like going to jail, or do I feel like being attacked? - Nikson Mathews And that’s exactly how I started my testimony in opposition to HB752. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ + news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter. See on Instagram HB752 is the harshest bathroom bill introduced by Republicans in the country. It criminalizes trans people simply for being present in a bathroom or facility that aligns with their gender identity. It does not require harm, only presence. If passed, a trans person could walk into the bathroom to wash their hands and face up to a year in jail. If they did it again, the penalty would increase to up to five years in prison. Related : Idaho Senate takes up bill to jail trans people for using public bathrooms Related : Idaho Republicans pass bill making it a felony for transgender people to use public bathrooms So what does that mean for me? It means that every single day, when I am out in public, I have to ask myself, do I feel like going to jail, or do I feel like being attacked? Nikson Matthews is advocating against Republican plans to further restrict the rights of transgender people in Idaho. Courtesy Nikson Matthews As a transgender man, if I use the men’s bathroom, I risk being reported, questioned, or arrested, because someone believes I don’t belong there. And if I use the women’s bathroom, as the bill would require, I risk something else entirely. Most people who see me don’t know that I’m trans. I have a beard, and after years on testosterone, male pattern baldness. So if I walk into a women’s restroom, will I be seen as someone following the law or as a threat? hat is a situation that could escalate quickly. I chose to dehydrate myself to avoid using the men’s bathroom. - Nikson Mathews One woman testifying in favor of this bill recently said she supported it because she felt it would allow her to take action if she believed a man or a trans woman was in the bathroom. She also pointed out that she was a gun owner and always carries. During the House floor debate, a representative said that if he ever saw a person he perceived to be a man walk into the women’s bathroom with his wife or daughters, he wouldn’t wait for the police to arrive. The implication was clear: he would take matters into his own hands. Sit with that. The “we can always tell” crowd supporting these bills has no idea who’s trans or not. There are so many examples of cis women being harassed or assaulted because someone decided they didn’t fit their own narrow expectation of what a woman should look like. Bills like this make bathrooms more dangerous for everyone. Related : Idaho Republicans are trying to strip localities of nondiscrimination ordinances that protect LGBTQ+ people Related : Idaho Republicans pass House bill forcing doctors to out transgender kids Now, some people say to me, “No one would even know you’re trans. Just use the men’s bathroom.” But they don’t know the reality of my life. I’ve run for office in Idaho. I was the first out trans person to be sworn into the Idaho Senate as a substitute senator. And I have never been quiet about who I am. So I never know if someone knows me or not. But more importantly, it shouldn’t matter. Nikson Mathews (right) and their partner Reilly O'Connor with the couple's dog. Courtesy Nikson Mathews No one should have to prove they “pass” to avoid jail. No one should have to consider their appearance just to use a bathroom. Because it only takes one person deciding you don’t belong, and suddenly you are facing a year in jail or five years in prison. That is not a risk I am willing to take. Last year, when I spent a week subbing in the Idaho Senate, I took the role seriously. I showed up early and stayed into the evening, until the job was done. And in that week, I used the bathroom exactly one time. Around the time I was there, a bathroom bill was working its way through the Idaho Statehouse, and Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride was in the national news after a resolution was adopted restricting her access to the women’s restroom in the U.S. Capitol. So I chose to dehydrate myself to avoid using the men’s bathroom, because I didn’t know how I would be treated. All I knew was that I wasn’t safe in the bathroom with them. I was a 41-year-old adult, serving in the Idaho Senate, terrified of the bathroom. That is what it looks like to be trans in this state. And this isn’t the only bill impacting queer and trans Idahoans. Since 2020, Idaho has passed 23 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community, 17 of them directly impacting trans people. And every bill or law passed takes away more of our options. Each one is attempting to push us further out of public life. HB 752 is a perfect example. There is no good choice. Risk imprisonment, or risk a beating or worse at the hands of cis men. So yes, I feel scared. I’m also angry. But mostly, I’m deeply, deeply tired. But there is one thing they will never be able to take from me. No matter how many bills they pass or how hard they try to make us disappear, they will never take away my pride. I am proud of my community and proud of myself for living authentically. I will always be a proud trans person. Nikson Mathews is a transgender man, Boise resident, and LGBTQ+ advocate who made history in 2025 as Idaho’s first out transgender person to serve in the state legislature, filling in for a state senator. Opinions is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit Advocate.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. Views expressed in Opinions are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride.

Go to News Site