Delta school board member faces backlash about transgender comments

[Taemin]

I hate this, god, they're bathrooms. You're in them, most commonly, for five minutes or less. Who the heck cares what the person a few stalls down from you identifies as? If you're trans it's a catch twenty-two. It's gonna be awkward no matter what restroom you walk into. I look really boyish sometimes. People who glance at me can't even tell I'm physically female sometimes, but I use the female restrooms, and I get weird stares some of the time, unless maybe people hear me speak or really look close enough - and I'm not even technically trans, for all they know I'm a tomboy and they still judge. Men do too.

Part of my point is that sometimes you don't know someone is trans unless they speak, or you see what's in their pants. It's not always obvious, and even if it is, they'll be judged no matter what restroom they use, so why not let them use whichever one they feel most comfortable with for lose five minutes of their life and move on?

Plenty of schools / public places have unisex restrooms, and people get used to it, do what they gotta do, and go on about their day. It's just what's in someone's pants, and it's annoying that it's such a big deal.

 

[twocows]

It is very relevant because, contrary to your assertion, a bathroom is rarely designed for use by only one person at a time. It is often the case that more than one person has a need to use the bathroom while another is using it. It certainly is true in my home, and was when I was growing up (the only thing I hated about that was when my brother finished his business while I was in the shower and flushed the toilet. Yeowch!). I also know from past experiences that it's been true in other people's homes as well. When you have to go you have to go, and a bathroom can and does accommodate more than one person at a time, although it is true that a toilet can only be used by one person at a time (except for males for obvious reasons. The phrase "crossing the streams" didn't come from no where.)

Yes, I was specifically referring to the toilet. However, the situation at home is usually a bit different. The people who are going to be in there, you're usually at least pretty well acquainted with. That said, I don't really feel strongly on that issue to begin with.

The issue of bathrooms being designed around biology is also quite misleading, because while it is true that a "mens" bathroom does have urinals, it is not required of a male to use the urinal. The bathrooms are also equipped with the same type of toilet stalls as are in "womens" bathrooms. Whether male or female the method of getting rid of waste from the body is exactly the same. The only difference lie in the external body parts of the person. A person who is physically a girl but identifies as a guy, can use a men's washroom without raising any sort of suspicion. And likewise, a person who is physically a guy but identifies as a girl, can use a woman's washroom. Again without raising any sort of suspicion. Almost for certain we all have used a public washroom where the person in the stall next to us is not of the same gender physically. We just haven't noticed it because it's not something that we look for. Or at least, most of us don't. When I have to use a public washroom, I don't pay any attention to the other people using it. I finish my business and then leave. The problems people have with transgendered people using these washrooms arise simply because people are too darn nosy and seem to have this annoying inability to mind their own business.

The point isn't that you can still manage to function in a typical bathroom designed for the other sex, it's that these bathrooms are specifically designed for people of your sex.

As far as I know, the only argument for using a bathroom of the opposite sex is related to awkwardness. The problem is, there are also a lot of people who would say it's awkward to have someone of the opposite sex in the same bathroom. I don't really think either of these arguments are significant, let alone one more significant than another, so I think "use what's designed for you" should determine usage.