As the federal government takes on North Carolina's so-called bathroom bill, Ohio lawmakers are taking sides.
The Department of Justice has put North Carolina on notice that its transgender bathroom law is unconstitutional.
Thursday, two Ohio lawmakers introduced a resolution to limit state travel to North Carolina as a show of opposition to that law.
This as an Ohio legislator proposing a "bathroom bill" for the Buckeye State met with members of the local transgender community.
At just 14 years old, Leigh Moore has traveled a road many adults can't fathom.
"I am a trans male. I came out when I was 12," he said.
And because we asked, he answered.
"I use the male bathroom without hesitation, because it's who I am," Leigh said.
Before arriving at that understanding, his parents watched helplessly as their bright child slowly dimmed.
"To watch him struggle and see in his face, like the light was just disappearing from his eyes,” his mother Michelle Moore said. “I was looking at him like, gosh what happened? He was depressed, and when he came to me and I'm so lucky that he trusted me to come out and then once we moved forward with transition you could see, the light was back in his eyes, he was happy. And that’s all I needed as a parent."
"The feeling of finding out who you are is just an amazing feeling,” Leigh said. “Because you finally feel like you fit in."
They say to have his bathroom use become the stuff of national debate has been surreal.
Ohio State Representative John Becker is crafting legislation to address the issue in Ohio.
"What I'm trying to do- I'm trying to keep sexual predators away from women and children," he said.
Rep. Becker says he's not targeting transgender people, but the men who would pose as transgender to exploit inclusive bathroom policies like those adopted by Target.
“How do we define a well-meaning person and what kind of people are appropriate to be in which bathroom or locker room facilities and for what reason?” Rep. Becker asked. “That's the language I am trying to figure out, and I need help with."
Thursday, Becker met with Leigh and Michelle, and other transgender people, along with representatives from Equality Ohio.
All involved say the two and a half hour meeting was positive and productive.
"We tried to explain that we do have laws on the books currently that can be enforced whenever there's bad behavior in our society,” Alana Jochum, Managing Director of Equality Ohio, said. “But introducing legislation will be harmful to the transgender community."
"I get that there are sexual predators, who go into the bathrooms to do bad stuff,” Leigh said. “I'm not- transgender people aren't- those people. We just want to get in to go pee.”
He and his mother worry Rep. Becker’s legislation could make Leigh more of a target.
"It worries me that my son could be a victim to that,” Michelle said. “I could be victim to that if I don't look girly enough to be in the women's bathroom that day.”
But they say sincere, open communication on opposing views, is a good start.
"This is a human issue, not a partisan issue,” Jochum said. “And we're here to have that conversation wherever we can."
Speaking by phone after Thursday’s meeting, Rep. Becker said: "I learned some things I didn't know before. They are a good group of people who had good, helpful information for me. But we have a fundamental disagreement over the need for a bill."
He says he will continue to work on his legislation, incorporating the concerns of the transgender community.