Keep MA Safe | News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Andrew Beckwith | [email protected] | 339.298.7567

One Year Later, Bathroom and Locker Room Law Violating Women's Rights

Friday, July 7, 2017

WOBURN — One year ago, on July 8^th, 2016, Beacon Hill decided to create new rights of sexual expression at the expense of the safety and privacy of women and children in Massachusetts. The “Bathroom and Locker Room Law” gave internal feelings the force of law, allowing men to enter private spaces normally reserved for women based solely on their feelings. In response, concerned citizens leapt into action to put this novel law on the ballot for November of 2018. Throughout the summer of 2016, volunteers collected over 50,000 signatures to repeal the Bathroom and Locker Room Law. The organization these pro-women and pro-children activists launched, Keep MA Safe, has continued to raise awareness and mobilize the electorate in advance of the 2018 vote.

“Since this law was enacted, we’re hearing more and more about men brazenly entering women’s safe spaces and abusing them by taking videos and pictures when they’re most vulnerable and exposed,” said Chanel Prunier, chairman of the Keep MA Safe ballot committee which is leading the repeal effort.

“The first criminal court case in Wrentham District Court this year involved Gabriel Moniz taking pictures of a woman in a TJ Maxx women’s room on Christmas Eve. The woman had to call the police herself as store employees would not. Corporations, employees, and even the police are becoming more concerned about lawsuits than women’s safety. We need to repeal this law to restore women’s safety in private spaces,” said Prunier.

Keep MA Safe’s General Counsel, Andrew Beckwith, sees the need for education on what the law actually requires.

“Many people think it just means building a third bathroom for gender-confused individuals. It’s actually far worse than that. The law says men who say they feel like women must be allowed into women-only facilities," said Beckwith.

There are steep penalties for violations of the new law as well, meaning that parents who try and stop men from entering their daughter’s locker room at the local YWCA, for example, could be fined or even jailed. Activists worry the law dangerously forces girls to ignore their red flags and boundaries for fear of a lawsuit. They argue that if women can’t speak up until they’re physically being harmed, it’s already too late.

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Keep MA Safe | News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: William Gillmeister | [email protected] | 339.298.7567

Monday, May 22, 2017

WOBURN — On Thursday, May 18, William Gillmeister, Treasurer for Keep MA Safe officially filed a formal civil rights complaint stemming from an assault that occurred at an event for the initiative to repeal the Bathroom and Locker Room law.

While in Newton for a repeal campaign gathering, Gillmeister was assaulted by a man dressed as a woman who spat on him and stole Keep MA Safe signs. According to the incident report taken by the Newton police, the alleged perpetrator provided police with an assumed name and not a legal birth name.

“The party identified themselves as Darcy Rohan but when queried through dispatch came back with negative results,” the report stated. “When asked for an explanation, the party stated that their birth name was David.” Police indicated that Rohan “was irate and stated that the signs were taken because of disagreeing beliefs.”

“Rohan further stated that the signs had been thrown in a dumpster but was unsure of the location,” the report added. “Rohan admitted to spitting on Gillmeister.” Police charged Rohan with assault and battery and theft of property valued at less than $250.

“He was vulgar, violent, and clearly targeted and spit on me because I disagree with him on this issue,” Gillmeister explained. “He admitted to the police it’s OK to spit on and threaten people who object to his radical ideology. Under the Bathroom and Locker Room Law, he can enter intimate spaces with real women, and there’s no recourse for them.” (See Rohan's bragging about the incident on social media in images below).

“This was a clear attempt to intimidate not only Mr. Gillmeister but everyone at the campaign gathering, and to prevent them all from exercising their civil rights. The Attorney general and the district attorney have an obligation to safeguard our citizenry from this type of prejudiced attack and to make a strong statement that crimes of this nature will not be tolerated. I expect they will take swift action and pursue this to the fullest extent of the law,” said Andrew Beckwith, legal counsel to the Keep MA Safe Committee and President of Massachusetts Family Institute.

Keep MA Safe Chairman Chanel Prunier stated: “Our question to the supporters of this law is simple: would you want this man, who claims to be a woman, in the locker room with your daughter? He spit on Bill for displaying signs. What would he do to a teenage girl, legitimately questioning his presence in the locker room at the gym? Or a small child who made a quiet comment in a bathroom? He shouldn’t have a special right to be with them when they’re undressed and vulnerable in a locker room or bathroom- a right their parents don't even legally possess.”

Keep MA Safe is a ballot campaign to repeal the transgender bathroom bill enacted by the legislature last July and signed into law by Governor Baker that allows a person to claim any gender, regardless of anatomy or biology, and use the bathroom or locker room facility based on the claimed gender.

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Keep MA Safe | News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Andrew Beckwith | [email protected] | 339.298.7567

Transgender Bathroom Law repeal certified for 2018 ballot

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

WOBURN — This summer, hundreds of volunteers across the Commonwealth collected over 50,000 signatures in roughly 45 days in order to repeal the transgender “Bathroom and Locker Room Law” passed in July. This was a tremendous grass roots effort that allowed Keep MA Safe to submit more than 38,000 certified signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office last week.

This afternoon, the Keep MA Safe ballot question committee was informed that the final count after review by the Secretary of State is still over 34,000, which means Keep MA Safe has met the constitutional requirements to put this dangerous law on the ballot in 2018.

We are extremely grateful to the thousands of people who courageously signed the petition, at times in the face of threats and intimidation. As voters began to learn about the full impact of this law, we saw them often move from alarm to action.

We look forward to spending the next two years continuing to raise awareness about the dangers of this law and making sure voters are fully educated on what is at stake. We remain committed to defending the fundamental rights to privacy and safety, particularly for women and children, in our Commonwealth.

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Keep MA Safe | News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Andrew Beckwith | [email protected] | 339.298.7567

Transgender Bathroom Law Repeal Effort Hits its Mark

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

WOBURN — Keep MA Safe, the Ballot Question Committee working to repeal the transgender bathroom and locker room law, is proud to announce a major milestone. As of Tuesday, September 27th, with another week of certification remaining, local clerks are reporting nearly 33,000 certified signatures, meeting the 32,375 required to have the law placed on the ballot for repeal. Hundreds of volunteers spent much of the past two months collecting over 50,000 signatures of concerned Massachusetts voters who want the opportunity to vote this law off the books.

Parents have been particularly alarmed to learn about this law, signed in early July, which would allow men to use the women’s bathroom, locker room, shower or changing facility if they identify as female. There have already been incidents reported here in MA where women’s privacy and safety in public accommodations were violated.

Earlier this summer, a man was caught taking pictures of a teenage girl on his cell phone in a Target changing room in Revere. Another man entered a women’s public bathroom in the Back Bay several weeks ago and exposed himself. Episodes like this are causing people to fight back against radical transgender policies, not only in MA but across the country. Last month, a nationwide boycott led Target to walk back much of its new transgender bathroom policy after suffering a substantial loss in revenue and stock value.

Keep MA Safe has until October 6th to turn in all of the certified petition forms to the MA Secretary of State’s Office, which will review the certified petitions before formally announcing whether or not the question has made it onto the November 2018 ballot. If successful, this will be the first repeal question placed in front of MA voters in nearly 20 years.

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