Talia, Brenda, Conner, Mr. Wells, Principal Vernon, Assassinate Principal Deacon, and Superintendent Johnson from the school board were all sitting around the meeting table in the conference room at Talia’s high school. Mr. Johnson had been emailed a copy of the medical report from Talia’s doctor. He had spoken with the mayor and several city council members about Talia’s condition, and unfortunately, they were sticking to how the law was written for their state.

Mr. Johnson looks towards Mr. and Mrs. Miller. He didn’t feel right about what he was about to say, but the mayor and the council members had made it clear, they weren’t going to make an exception, except for allowing Talia to use the handicap bathroom at school.

He looks at everyone and clears his throat before speaking, “Mr. And Mrs. Miller, I have spoken with our lawyer and the mayor about Talia’s situation, and as much as I would approve of her using the women’s locker room and bathroom, because of her unique genetic situation. I’m afraid that the only solution I can come up with is to allow her to use the handicap bathroom.”

“Are you fucking nuts?” Talia knew that the handicap bathroom was way out of the way of any of her classes.

Connor gives his daughter a look, letting her know he didn’t approve of her outburst. He looks back towards Mr. Johnson, “Surely, you’re not going to say she needs to keep on changing in the men’s locker room with her developing like she is.”

“Unfortunately, by law, she has to, because her birth certificate says she is male. But since that would expose the boys to how she looks, and the fact that it would make Talia uncomfortable. What we can do is excuse her from physical education when her class has gym.

“What would I be doing, instead?” Talia looks at Mr. Johnson when she asks that question.

“You’ll have a study hall instead. You’ll assist Mrs. Brighten in the library instead.”

“Are you going to inform her teachers of this, and how is this going to affect her grades?” Brenda was curious how this would affect Talia’s
grades, because she knew that if a student didn’t take part in gym. They would lose half their grade.

“Talia will get credit for helping Mrs. Brighten in the library.” Mr. Johnson knew they had to do something to replace the missing grades Talia would lose.

Talia didn’t mind helping Mrs. Brighten. She was a nice librarian and has always been nice to her.

“So, instead of having gym class for now on. Talia is going to be allowed to spend the time in the library instead? How about the track team? Will she be allowed to change teams again?” Connor wanted to know if Talia had to give up her dreams.

“Unfortunately, because of the law and such. She would still have to run on the boy’s team. I’m sorry, but because her birth certificate says male on it. There isn’t going to be any exceptions to allow her to rejoin the female team.”

Talia was getting pissed. She stands up and looks at Principal Vernon, Assistant Principal Deacon, and Superintendent Johnson. “THIS IS BULLSHIT! ALL BECAUSE I WAS BORN DIFFERENT, YOU JACKASSES HIDE BEHIND YOUR BELIEF AND FUCKING STUPID LAW!”

Talia turns and runs out of the conference room, crying. She runs for the front door and sprints out of the building. She didn’t care where she was going or give a dam about her safety.

All the adults sat stunned at Talia’s outburst, before Brenda recovered and ran after her daughter. Just as she reached the front door of the high school. She spotted Talia running down the street and barely missed being hit by a blue pickup truck.

She was just as angry as Talia about the situation. However, she felt sorry for her daughter about the way the matter was being handled. Talia has always done what she felt was right, but because of the current laws and sentiments towards non-genetic girls/women playing in girls' sports. It was causing problems for Talia. Now that they have found out that Talia is intersex. The school systems still weren’t allowing her to play on or use the girls’ locker room or bathroom.

Talia wipes the tears leaking from her eyes as she runs down the road. She was angry with herself and with the stupid school system. She hated the damn state and all the jackass that voted for the morons that passed the laws saying that if her birth certificate didn’t say female on it. That she couldn’t play on any team.

Talia kept on running, letting her anger feed her need to just escape. In no time, she arrives home and collapses on the ground, crying. She screams as loud as she can letting everyone in her neighborhood know how she felt.

Brenda tried to keep track of her daughter as she ran ahead. She couldn’t believe how fast Talia was running. She wonders if Talia was using her anger to fuel her. She knew she could overtake Talia, but she was just going to watch her daughter and make sure she didn’t get hurt.

When Brenda turned onto the street where they lived, she heard Talia scream and spotted Talia on the ground, crying. She pulls into the driveway and gets out. She helps Talia walk towards the house. She could tell Talia was still upset as they entered the house.

“How about I get a bubble bath going for you, sweetie.” Brenda escorts Talia to her bedroom and lets her get undressed.

Brenda walks across the hallway and starts filling the tub with hot water. She adds one of her bath balls to the water. Once the tub is filled, she goes and helps Talia into the tub.

Brenda stays and washes Talia’s hair and watches over her. She hears her husband when he gets home. Things must have gotten even worse, and, afraid, Talia ran out of the meeting.

Talia relaxes as her mother gently washes her body. She closes her eyes and just lets the hot water relax the muscles in her body. She was still crying some, but the tears were becoming less and less.

Once Talia was relaxed, the water in the tub started turning cold. Brenda helps Talia out of the tub and dries her off. Brenda escorts Talia back across the hallway to Talia’s bedroom. She helps Talia put on her night clothes and puts Talia to bed.

Brenda looks down into Talia’s sweet face. “I’ll check on you later, sweetie.” Brenda kisses Talia’s forehead and walks out of Talia’s bedroom.
When Conner spots his wife coming downstairs. He wonders how Talia is doing, “How is she?”

“She’s stopped crying, but I don’t think she wants anything to do with school anymore. How did things go after I left?” Brenda wonders what happened afterwards.

“Let’s just say if Mr. Wells wasn’t there to stop me. I would have punched all of them. Instead, I cussed all of them out.”

“What are we going to do if Talia doesn’t want to go back to school?” Brenda didn’t want Talia to drop out, but if Talia doesn’t want to go. She might have to let her.

“I don’t know. I asked Wells if the law applied to private schools in the state, and he said yes. Even the private schools aren’t allowed to let Talia join in any girls’ sports. All we can do is sue the state, and that will take time to do.” Conner knew that for something like this, it would take time to get things changed.

“Plus, we can’t afford to move either. You have your business, and the boys have their jobs. Plus, I have my job as well.” Brenda didn’t know what they could do.

“Well, I am suing the state about not being allowed to change the gender on Talia’s birth certificate.”

“I’m going to order out for us tonight. I’m too frustrated and tired to cook.” Brenda picks up the telephone and orders pizza for the family.