Ben Carson: Homeless Transgender People Make Others Uncomfortable

[TexasTowelie]

Carson has defended the removal of training materials for housing providers to prevent LGBT discrimination, arguing that the presence of transgender people in homeless shelters makes others feel uncomfortable.

Responding to a question by Illinois Democratic Representative Mike Quigley during a House subcommittee hearing, Carson said: "There are some women who said they were not comfortable with being in a shelter [with] somebody who had a very different anatomy.”

Carson said: "We obviously believe in equal rights for everybody, including the LGBT community. But we also believe in equal rights for the women in the shelters, and shelters where there are men, and their equal rights. So, we want to look at things that really provide for everybody and doesn't impede the rights of one for the sake of the other."

When asked by Quigley how protecting transgender individuals impinges the rights of others, Carson continued: "There are some women who said they were not comfortable with the idea of being in a shelter, being in a shower, and somebody who had a very different anatomy."

Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2018/03/carson-homeless-transgender/

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. I'm a bit horrified to think that a homeless shelter has people showering communally.

The shelter I volunteer for has two private showers.

[riversedge]

4. Perhaps Carson just made that up. I volunteered at

2 homeless shelters so far. Both had private showers.

[TexasTowelie]

6. It does occur.

I was at a homeless shelter in Dallas which had communal showers for the men. I don't know the accommodations for women or families.

Seating in the chapel (which was also the common meeting area) was separated by sex. Dining tables in the cafeteria were also assigned by sex. There was a strict non-fraternization policy and people were not allowed to speak to members of the opposite sex anywhere on the property. The only exceptions were for couples that could prove that they were married.

[underpants]

2. Well maybe the homeless shelters could use different dinner tables

Maybe Ben can get his wife to look into that.

[TexasTowelie]

7. I was at one that did exactly that.

Talking to the opposite sex could lead to carnal activities.

[underpants]

10. That's why they should keep the lights on

See my other post below too - memes are from another DU thread

[Initech]

8. That $31k dining table he bought could buy a lot of meals for the homeless.

But that might be something Jesus would do, and we can't have that in today's republican party can we?

[underpants]

9. Hey! I just had a "lightbulb moment"

[riversedge]

3. Fire that bigot!

[still_one]

5. Hey Ben, you make others uncomfortable

[Nitram]

11. Ben Carson makes me uncomfortable.

[Odoreida]

12. Just as an aside ...

Yes, the bigotry is an additional piece of nastiness, but ...

Homeless people as such make a lot of people uncomfortable. Including me.

And they should.

This is a basic economic issue that permanent homelessness should be so common.

[Iggo]

13. So do black Nazis. (n/t)

[tonekat]

14. Stroke out, Carson!

I'm pretty uncomfortable with the fact you are still breathing!!