overblown I just can't help myself. There are something like 17 states and over 200 cities that have LGBT anti-discrimination laws in place already. Several of these already cover the use of bathrooms and other facilities. I was surprised to learn that Washington, for example, has since 2006 allowed people to use the restroom based on the gender they identify with. Why was I surprised? Because, again, it has been the law for almost 11 years and it simply has been a non-event for most people. So clearly, if the states are laboratories for policy, other states can see and learn from the experience.

A lot has been made of Friday's guidance (not law, not executive order) on how Justice will interpret Title IX, as if there is suddenly some kind of radical agenda. But as we can see, over the past 15-20 years, LGBT folks have already been getting more rights and laws have been passed accordingly. So why are the usual suspect states freaking out? What makes North Carolina or Mississippi or Texas or Tennessee so different that they think the outcome would be any different from any other place? Willful ignorance? More susceptible to political opportunism? Or is it just the influence of ol' time religion? I don't get it.