Lucas Waldron
Student, University of San Francisco
Finding a Place to Go: The Transgender Bathroom Dilemma
Posted: 11/27/2012 7:35 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lucas-waldron/finding-a-place-to-go-the-transgender-bathroom-dilemma_b_2189526.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lucas-waldron/finding-a-place-to-go-the-transgender-bathroom-dilemma_b_2189526.html)
Imagine that there are two bathrooms, one labeled "black people" and one labeled "white people." For an Asian person or an Arab person (or any person who is not marked "Caucasian" or "African-American" by the U.S. Census Bureau), there are two layers of problems to be addressed in choosing a bathroom to use. The first issue is that there are only two identities represented, which, in a world with a vast array of racial diversity, is clearly an improvident method of social categorization. Secondly, the uncategorized individual needing to use the bathroom is forced to either not use a bathroom at all or find a way to identify themselves as either black or white enough to use one of the given options.
I recently used this anecdote to explain to an acquaintance the experience of being transgender in a binary-based society. Since starting my transition a year ago, and even before transitioning, I have woken up most mornings to the self-directed question, "Do I look masculine enough to pass today?" Regardless of the pressure from certain circles within the queer community to embrace a "genderqueer" identity and reject gender binaries for either personal or political motivations, my life just has not played out that way. I don't identify with my female body; my gender expression follows the pattern of a pretty typical cisgender man. Unlike some of my genderqueer friends, I don't thrive off my gender ambiguity or enjoy the experience of living outside the box, at least in terms of gender. The ambiguity of my appearance makes me uncomfortable, and my nonconforming gender expression gives me anxiety.
Zythrya, interesting you mention the two bathroom issue where in Black folks an White folks had to have seperate facilities . I can rememember all too well going to a Downtown department store , ie W T Grant, G C Murphy , and of course , who could forget the Charles Department store here in Richmond Virginia . Yes, I saw a poor 5 or six year old Black child have to wet his pants cause the Black Mens room was out of order . Made me mad at the time and I was only maybe six myself at the time ......... ellen
Seems obvious, but I'll say it anyway:
It's not the bathrooms that are the problem. There are more than enough fixtures to go around. It's the PEOPLE that won't SHARE their bathrooms with people who make them uncomfortable. That's the problem.