- Reaction score
- 3
- Points
- 130
Bruce Monkhouse said:She does have a point.....
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-36085314
Seriously Bruce . . . I am not picking on you . I just want to respond to an issue which you brought up. This will be a bit of read and a bit verbose so I apologize in advance.
Goodness . . . the dreaded bathroom debate. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go down this rabbit hole as it will most likely spawn a bit of a heated exchange as this is want to do as evidenced by a host of other sites which beat this into submission daily. However, I figured I might as well give my point of view as a transwoman.
IMO, these bills have little to do with protecting people and more to do with political grandstanding and creating a distraction to take people’s focus off the real political issues (war, terrorism, economy). The Ancient Romans were masters of “eye candy for the masses” a la gladiatorial games and this is very much akin to that concept in that it gives people something to either fight/rant about or others view it as a spectator sport. However, to counter the pro-bathroom bill stance I provide the following:
A lot of the bathroom bill advocates will continually talk about how preventing transgender folks from using the target gender bathroom (in reality this normally MtF transgender folk as you hear little about FtM folk using the men’s room) will keep sexual offenders away and make it safe for your wives and daughters. The tragic thing is that they continually say transgender in one breath and follow-up with descriptions such as pedophile, rapist, sexual offender, pervert. I get it . . . they are not saying that transgender people are such, but continually making the link between the two words and people being people (not all) wind up believing the two are synonymous. All you have to do is deep dive any posts about the bathroom bill on the internet and you will find for the most part some good discussion but mixed in are comments about transgender pervs attacking little children or women. In reality, there has never been a documented case of a transgender person hurting or attacking any person in a bathroom (adult or child). However like some weird seven degrees of Field of Dreams “build it and they will come” . . . say it together enough and some people will believe it.
So, the intent of these bills is to keep women safe in the bathrooms. Folks, a woman is more likely to be sexually assaulted/harassed (the statistics bear this out) by someone they know in a social setting. Should we enact bills which ensure women and men can’t socialize because men can’t be trusted to not sexually harass or assault women? No, that would be ludicrous because the majority of men do not and the minority are going to do so irrespective of any bills/laws passed. That is the nature of sexual predators.
Will sexual offenders try to use this as an excuse to enter a women’s restroom? I am sure it is possible but then again they are less likely to go through all the hassle of dressing up as a woman, walk around in broad daylight in a crowded mall and try to sneak into the women’s restroom to assault someone in a venue that will get them caught for sure. Sexual predators normally seek targets of opportunity in places where they are less likely to be observed or detected. A lot of debates around this issue will pull out the story of the guy who entered a women’s change room and undressed claiming to be transgender. Well, firstly he was not transgender and secondly he had severe mental issues. So yes it can happen but it would be a statistical outlier.
Believe me I get the fear and I understand people (especially women’s) concerns. However many think that allowing transgender people to use the women’s bathroom means it is now open season in the public restrooms. Firstly, the laws which protect all people from assault still apply. If you walk into a bathroom transgender or not and sexually harass or assault another person . . . it is still against the law and you will be arrested. If you go into the bathroom, enter a stall and do your business, wash your hands and leave . . . you have broken no law.
Also take into account that several Canadian Provinces and several US States have laws which protect gender identity and allow a person to use the bathroom of the gender they present. These laws have been around for some time with no increase in sexual assaults in women’s bathrooms. Several European countries have gender neutral bathrooms - men and women doing their business together. For any here who served in Germany and went to Caracalla Baths in Baden . . . you could share a sauna with the opposite gender and both of you with only what nature saw fit to give you . . . again no issues. So what is this preoccupation with where a person goes pee? So long as they do their business, are respectful and leave what is the harm. While these bills are supposedly put into place to protect women from potential assault in the women’s restroom, these anti-trans laws pose a ferocious threat to the safety and dignity of not only trans men and women, but to anyone who doesn't conform to traditional gender roles. In other words, a masculine looking woman may face more discrimination in a public restroom than a fully transitioned trans woman, who can go about her business without anyone being the wiser. Point in case:
http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/north-carolina-woman-kicked-out-of-ladies-bathroom-by-police-after-being-mistaken-for-transgender/
And there is this:
http://www.advocate.com/business/2015/06/17/detroit-woman-kicked-out-restaurant-bathroom-looking-man-sues
This is because the bills were rushed out the door without any real method to their madness and now everyone is seeing a Tranny in every stall and some feel free take matters into their own hands because the law implies they can. In fact one of the assaults above was executed by the police department.
Another argument put forth is that pedophiles will now have free reign to enter the women’s restrooms and attack little girls so we need to protect them. Well, firstly being a father (yup my daughter may call me mom but I still am her father) . . . when she was that young she never went in a public restroom alone. Also let’s not forget that a young boy can be preyed upon by a male pedophile in the men’s room. Indeed, if it is about protecting the children what about the trans children who would be forced to use their birth gender facility. A trans person is more at risk of being attacked/assaulted than most. Put that trans child in their birth gender bathroom and the risk increase tenfold.
So, to put a face to this, the below link is about a 14 year old transgirl. Specifically she was born male but identifies female. In her case her parents (in conjunction with medical professionals) have allowed her to start androgen blocker which in effect stops puberty in its tracks – no testosterone, no development of secondary sex characteristics (no facial hair, no voice change, increased muscle mass). As such she presents more female than male. If this were your child would you feel safe with her having to use the men’s room in a crowded mall when she is out with her friends? What’s stopping some sexual offender from seeing her as a target of opportunity?
http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/28/this-photo-of-a-transgender-girl-is-raising-concerns-over-north-carolinas-bathroom-law-5846807/
IMO these bills are nothing to do with protection as I tried to demonstrate above but everything to do with discriminating against a group of people who just want to go pee. However the bills enact fear, which for some lead to hate and then violence. I was tooled up nicely by four guys because I used the women’s restroom even though the law says I can. So you can only imagine how some people will see these laws as an open season permit on transgender folks (adults and children).
In reality this what the bathroom bills will create. Both Micheal and Buck Angle are transmen. Specifically, they were born female but identify male. They have had top surgery (removal of breast tissue) but not bottom surgery (still physiologically a woman). The bathroom bill would require them to use the women’s bathroom.
http://www.upworthy.com/heres-what-itll-look-like-if-trans-people-arent-allowed-to-use-the-right-bathroom
http://montrealgazette.com/life/transgender-rights-buck-angel-calls-for-gender-neutral-bathrooms
Does Brae a transwoman belong in the men’s room?
http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/1078139/new-selfie-campaign-combats-anti-trans-restroom-bill
Cheers
Andraste