Here’s the transcript the article links (the bit on this topic anyway)
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Question: I was wondering if you could clarify something you said yesterday at a press conference. You said, I’m not for boys going into the same bathroom with little girls. And I’m wondering, the Department of Education website says students must be provided with access to facilities consistent with their gender identity asserted at school. Could you just elaborate what you meant? Do you feel like there is distance between you and DOE policy?
Mayor Adams: Listen, I’m clear. I think that, and I also said at the press conference yesterday that we’re going so far away from common sense. I don’t support girls and boys using the same restroom. I don’t support that. We’re going to always respect how one identifies themselves. But my utmost importance is to ensure that when my children are in school, they’re in there in a safe environment. And I do not believe a safe environment is allowing boys and girls to use the same facility at the same time.
Question: The DOE policy needs to change. Is that something you would like to see?
Mayor Adams: I’m going to dig into it more. If it permits young boys and young girls to share the same restroom at the same time, I’m going to look at my authority and power to change that. Let me finish. I don’t believe that should happen. And I think that we have become so politically correct that we are incorrect.
Boys and girls should not be in the same restrooms at the same time. And I think the average parent, particularly if their child is a girl, would agree with me. And that is what I believe. And I’m going to look at exactly what the policy is. And if it’s allowing them to be in the same restroom at the same time, I’m going to use whatever power I have to stop that.
Question: You don’t have to dig in. It is what it is. The Department of Education says spaces like that should be segregated– that spaces are designed around gender identity versus designed around sex. That’s the difference. You say they should be designed around sex. The Department of Education says it should be designed around gender identity. That’s the difference.
Mayor Adams: And again, as I stated, I would dig in if it’s something that I have been dug into. I’m gonna dig into that. And then I’m going to find out from our legal team what’s my authority. And if my authority allows me to alter that, I’m going to alter that. Boys and girls should not be in the same bathroom at the same time. And you stated that it should be around identity. That’s not–
Question: [inaudible] education says that.
Mayor Adams: Education. You said that they stated it should be around identity. I don’t have an issue with that. They can’t be there at the same time. I go into restaurants and it says men and women could use the same facility, but we’re not in there at the same time. So there’s a difference to that. And that’s what I’m going to find out.
Here’s the transcript the article links (the bit on this topic anyway)
———
Question: I was wondering if you could clarify something you said yesterday at a press conference. You said, I’m not for boys going into the same bathroom with little girls. And I’m wondering, the Department of Education website says students must be provided with access to facilities consistent with their gender identity asserted at school. Could you just elaborate what you meant? Do you feel like there is distance between you and DOE policy?
Mayor Adams: Listen, I’m clear. I think that, and I also said at the press conference yesterday that we’re going so far away from common sense. I don’t support girls and boys using the same restroom. I don’t support that. We’re going to always respect how one identifies themselves. But my utmost importance is to ensure that when my children are in school, they’re in there in a safe environment. And I do not believe a safe environment is allowing boys and girls to use the same facility at the same time.
Question: The DOE policy needs to change. Is that something you would like to see?
Mayor Adams: I’m going to dig into it more. If it permits young boys and young girls to share the same restroom at the same time, I’m going to look at my authority and power to change that. Let me finish. I don’t believe that should happen. And I think that we have become so politically correct that we are incorrect.
Boys and girls should not be in the same restrooms at the same time. And I think the average parent, particularly if their child is a girl, would agree with me. And that is what I believe. And I’m going to look at exactly what the policy is. And if it’s allowing them to be in the same restroom at the same time, I’m going to use whatever power I have to stop that.
Question: You don’t have to dig in. It is what it is. The Department of Education says spaces like that should be segregated– that spaces are designed around gender identity versus designed around sex. That’s the difference. You say they should be designed around sex. The Department of Education says it should be designed around gender identity. That’s the difference.
Mayor Adams: And again, as I stated, I would dig in if it’s something that I have been dug into. I’m gonna dig into that. And then I’m going to find out from our legal team what’s my authority. And if my authority allows me to alter that, I’m going to alter that. Boys and girls should not be in the same bathroom at the same time. And you stated that it should be around identity. That’s not–
Question: [inaudible] education says that.
Mayor Adams: Education. You said that they stated it should be around identity. I don’t have an issue with that. They can’t be there at the same time. I go into restaurants and it says men and women could use the same facility, but we’re not in there at the same time. So there’s a difference to that. And that’s what I’m going to find out.
Masterclass in avoiding the question
Classic politician