Transgender Bathroom Access: A Matter of Respect and Safety
“There’s a gender in your brain and gender in your body. For 99 percent of people, those things are in alignment. For transgender people, they’re mismatched. That is all. It’s not complicated…” (Bono) Although many people would disagree, I think the transgender community should have the right to use the restroom of the gender they identify with or have an alternate choice. Some people may argue that it would be a dangerous liability, but try walking a mile in the shoes of a person who is transgender. Some people may even agree to providing gender-neutral restrooms. The dangers of a person of the opposite sex using the restroom they prefer are very obvious, but is every person out to cause danger to other people in the restroom? Therefore the transgender community should have the right to use the restroom of the gender they identify with or have an alternate choice because they are still people, and as people, they have the right to be who they are and be comfortable, at least in the bathroom, without being bullied or discriminated against.
Addressing Safety Concerns
Transgender people should not have to be restrained from their preference because people are afraid they might be sexual predators. Many people are outraged by the idea of someone of the opposite gender walking into the restroom; however, even without restroom rights for transgender people, the chances of any person walking into a restroom designated to a specific gender are still undoubtedly high. For example, a male rapist could walk into a ladies’ restroom and be of great danger. Transgender people seldom have sexual attractions for their preferred gender; therefore, it would only make sense that they be able to use the restroom of their preferred gender. Sexual orientation would be irrelevant in this situation. We do not exclude gay and lesbian people—who are attracted to the same sex—from using the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. So why should we exclude transgender people? Skeptics may be afraid of what is unknown, but take to heart the feelings of a transgender person. Like the feelings of this transgender person called B, “When puberty started, B began to hate his body, as she did not want to develop breasts. She even hit her chest to try to make them go away. B tried to talk with her parents, but they were entirely unsupportive. Even after B attempted suicide, her parents did not, and still will not, accept her sexual and gender identities”. (Genny Beemyn)
The Reality of Fear and Discomfort
Transgender people feel just as afraid as everyone else does. “The fact is that a transgender kid goes to the bathroom for the same reason that everyone else does. They go and take care of their business and they leave. Then they go back to school.” (Harrison CBS News) Going into a restroom, the transgender person feels more at risk of being harassed than anyone else in that restroom. Picture yourself—a woman or a man—going into the opposite gender’s restroom. It would be humiliating, and skeptics could honestly say they feel completely invaded of privacy and just plain awkward. This is how a transgender person feels every day! When they feel they were meant to be of the opposite sex, but they are still forced to use the restroom according to the gender assigned at birth, they feel completely uncomfortable, vulnerable, and most of all—scared. Even when a transgender person walks into their preferred restroom, it is still a very scary place, but it feels more comfortable. It is hard for transgender people to be confident when walking into the restroom because they never know if they are going to be able to pass as their preferred identity. If someone suspects anything, they could be faced with dangerous circumstances. Instead of transgender people taking these chances, it would be smart for architects to consider a gender-neutral restroom option when designing a building.
Gender-Neutral Restrooms: A Viable Solution
Some people would argue that alternative restrooms promote segregation or discrimination against the sexes, but if a third option was available to transgender people, would that be discrimination? In my opinion, this would give a viable option for those who are not comfortable with sharing a bathroom with other people. The majority of the world’s population are born male or female, and they are comfortable using the restroom of their biological gender. For those who struggle with transgenderism, we should have an alternative restroom option. When a person is using the restroom, comfort is a very important issue. “I don’t think it’s fair to not let people have an option of where they go to the bathroom.” (Di, R). Having a gender-neutral restroom would give all gender identities their choice of comfort. It would be a safe place for—not only transgender people—but also other members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community to do their business. The newspaper “El Nuevo Dia” has an article about bathrooms for transgender workers that says, “Restrict employees to use the restrooms that are not compatible with their gender identity or segregate them from other workers by requiring use neutral or separate bathrooms, it leads to employees who may fear for their physical safety. Restrictions on the use of the bath can lead employees to avoid visiting these throughout their working day, which can lead to potentially serious physical injury or illness”. (Frances Rosario) This means that the transgender community lives in fear, even at their jobs they are afraid of going to the bathroom without getting bullied, and this happens not only in Puerto Rico but in the world.
A Call for Empathy and Action
In conclusion, if nothing is done about transgender rights, our culture would diminish to a world of segregation and discrimination. The transgender community should have the right to use the restroom of the gender they identify with or have an alternate choice. Transgender people deserve the right to have access to a comfortable, safe place to go to the restroom just as any other human being. Yes, it could potentially be a dangerous liability, but remember the feelings of the people who live in the wrong body. “Drescher says he is certain of one thing after a lifetime of working with gender: ‘There is no way that six billion people can be categorized into two groups’. Now if we could figure out the pronoun problems”. (Composing Gender, 71) A safe way for the LGBT community to use the restroom would be to give the option of a gender-neutral facility. “To those who are transgender—let me say—you are not alone. You’re struggle, for the end to violence and discrimination, is a shared struggle. Today, I stand with you. And I call upon all countries and people, to stand with you too.” (Ki-Moon).