Washington Post
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February 14, 2021
Perspective | Why parents of kids with special needs are fighting ‘bathroom bills’
Erin Mast doesn’t relish taking her teenage son, Carter, into the women’s bathroom. He has a mustache, and at 5 feet 11 inches, he towers over his mother. The 13-year-old draws stares, glares and lately, confrontations.
“Leave your retard home if he can’t go to the bathroom by himself,” a stranger snapped at her a few weeks ago. Carter Mast has autism and he has what are called “high support” needs. He requires a caregiver for a variety of daily activities, including use of the restroom. If he’