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SANTEE, Calif. – The burning debate over whether Christynne Wood, a transgender woman, should have been allowed to use a women’s locker room at the local YMCA continued at a Santee city council meeting Wednesday.
There was nothing formally on the city council agenda about the topic, but Wood felt it was time to speak out for herself in the same place 17-year-old Rebecca Phillips first brought attention to this story, which has since received national attention.
“The amount of organized hatred and lies to vilify and demonize me and other members of the transgender community has truly been disheartening and disgusting,” Wood said.
Wood was joined by many supporters, but critics as well.
“This is war. This is a war on women, children and the truth,” said Carrie Prejean, a former Miss California and San Diego native who was among those sharing intense criticism.
Wood was surrounded by friends and also members of the LGBTQ community who came to support her after a 17-year-old girl garnered national attention for saying she felt unsafe “seeing a man” in the women’s locker room.
A friend of Wood’s says she was in the locker room at the time of the incident and that Phillips never saw Wood, only heard her voice.
“I am a threat to no one. In the year I’ve been a member of the YMCA, children have attended summer camp and have been with their parents and grandparents in the women’s locker room with me and there has never, ever been an incident ever not until one was manufactured using this forum to do so,” Wood said.
Santee Mayor John Minto said he has met with the YMCA and the city’s legal team and they are going to make sure everyone is safe and valued in the community.
The YMCA has said it is their priority to do the same.
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