I'm not over-eager to defend conservatives -- I don't consider myself one -- but I've never found this line of argument persuasive. Remember:

>>Since 2015, Anchorage law has allowed people to use bathrooms and locker rooms in places open to the public that correspond with their gender identity.

In other words, it was *progressives* who inserted the heavy hand of the law into this. The initiative described in the story is a *response* to that assertion of power.

To illustrate, consider the libertarian position (which incidentally is the one I favor). This position would hold that the government should just stay out of this; and that it's none of anyone's business how any individual business owner decides to manage his or her bathrooms. The government should do a few things and do them well; and one of those things is not micromanage bathrooms. Based on your comment, sounds reasonable, right? But wait -- progressives don't WANT that scenario. They WANT the government involved.