Supporters of University of Kansas transgender custodian Siobhan Kirchstein gathered in Lawrence for a fundraiser aimed at helping her navigate any financial pitfalls for using the bathroom at Parker Hall on campus.
Kirchstein does not currently have legal fees, but wants to be ready.
The university warned her in July for breaking the law by using bathrooms that she cleans regularly.
A complaint prompted the letter about her using the women’s restroom. Now, she’s preparing in case of a potential firing and legal fees.
She is well known in downtown Lawrence and in the queer community. She says the community has been helpful in fundraising and moral support. Now they’ve come together to start something new.
“We’ve actually formed a group,” Kirchstein said. “We call it Trans Solidarity KU.”
The goal of the group is to get a petition together with demands for the university and for the institution to show good faith to transgender people.
She hopes it will limit future “transvestigations” from university staff or KU students, like the one that targeted her at Parker Hall. Although that was based on the state’s law, not university policy.
Kirchstein cleans the restrooms and plenty of other spaces in the building that houses the Kansas Geological Survey and said she’s never experienced bad vibes from fellow KU employees there.
“Most people have been supportive of me as a trans woman,” Kirchstein said.
Still, someone reported Kirchstein for a violation of the law.
Individual penalties
The first offense meant a warning, but future offenses could bring $1,000 fines and misdemeanor charges.
The law also includes a bounty provision. This allows any person who feels aggrieved by the bathroom usage to sue the restroom user for $1,000. The bevy of potential penalties led to Kirchstein wanting to protect against legal issues.
“It just takes one person, just one person, to be freaked out enough to report someone,” she said.
The name of the person who reported to KU about Kirchstein’s illegal bathroom use has not been made available to her.
She said it is because of the school’s whistleblower policy.
University penalties
A university spokesperson said that KU has not been fined for the incident.
Under the law, facilities are liable for a $25,000 fine for a first offense. The task of fining a state-run facility falls under Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office.
The attorney general’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the fine.
“Kobach himself doesn’t even seem to be interested in enforcing this law,” Kirchstein said. “Most people seem to think it’s just a rallying cry for their political base.”
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