Mercedes Allen: Tales From the Porcelain Waterloo
October 9, 2012. 6:21 pm
Posted by: Jillian Page
http://blogs.montrealgazette.com/2012/10/09/mercedes-allen-tales-from-the-porcelain-waterloo/CALGARY — I first began transsexual and transgender advocacy barely a couple weeks into my own transition. I had helped with other social support agencies in support capacities off and on, in years prior, until I became preoccupied with work and an attempt to start a family.
So when the facilitators of the two Alberta trans support groups moved from Edmonton almost simultaneously, I jumped right in. I was still developing the
albertatrans.org website, and trying to navigate my way back to work, so I was preoccupied, and not ready for the role.
I realized this when I came into conflict with someone wanting me to speak with their employer about an issue that had come up over their use of public washrooms. The employer had wanted them to use a gender-neutral single-stall locking restroom while they were in transition, and then would revise this policy after the person had had surgery. This person expressed to me that this created unusually difficult circumstances for them.
Being still early in my own transition, I hadn't thought out many of the different possible things that could happen.
