The Thing About Public Bathrooms...
This experience for essential bodily functions is something I've come to realize we, who fit society's prescribed gender binary, take for granted. We live in a world where we are constantly categorizing things, namely gender, based on performance and secondary sex characteristics, in which "usually the gender attribution is correct, but the sex categorization is incorrect" [1]. This forces members of the trans* community to be put in a position where they must formally identify their gender, which may make them uncomfortable, just to use the bathroom. There is also the constant fear of how they may be received in such a private setting in challenging the norm and what we define as the characteristics of gender. This anxiety inherently classifies public bathrooms as an insensitive space that needs to be addressed positively.
Public bathrooms have not always been as easily accessible to women as they were to men; many were either "Men-Only" or left un labelled to mean "neutral". Gender-segregated bathrooms, notably labeling "Ladies Room", began in 18th Century Paris and was eventually introduced to the United States in the late 19th Century. Massachusetts became the first state to require gender-separate bathrooms in the workplace [2]. This separation is a purely modern-western construction that can be linked to industrial development and urbanization [3]. Since then even the though of desegregating bathrooms has become more and more distant because it's not such a simple fix anymore.
Public bathrooms have not always been as easily accessible to women as they were to men; many were either "Men-Only" or left un labelled to mean "neutral". Gender-segregated bathrooms, notably labeling "Ladies Room", began in 18th Century Paris and was eventually introduced to the United States in the late 19th Century. Massachusetts became the first state to require gender-separate bathrooms in the workplace [2]. This separation is a purely modern-western construction that can be linked to industrial development and urbanization [3]. Since then even the though of desegregating bathrooms has become more and more distant because it's not such a simple fix anymore.
"Restrooms are still almost exclusively gendered. It's a form of exclusion that's written into state building code, presenting an obstacle for gender neutral bathroom advocates." Elizabeth Brown's article "The Biggest Obstacle to Gender Neutral Bathrooms? Building Codes", she goes into depth about a series of codes laws directly aimed at regulating bathrooms called "Potty Parity" which "not only to offer gender-segregated facilities but... offer a certain number of men’s and women’s "fixtures" depending on building/business size and type"[3]. For example, California explicitly has these codes written into building code guidelines. |
The social structure public bathrooms creates explicitly enforces a distinction between gender roles. For example, most changing stations are only offered in women's restrooms. Gender neutral bathrooms clearly exist, but the larger issue is why they are not more common. The benefits go beyond just gender neutrality and sensitivity because it addresses issues like single parents with opposite sex children, caregivers of elderly people, religious views of modesty, and disproportional wait times for each gender [3]. Brown concludes by supporting the removal of bathroom segregation laws, and negating the necessity to approach this like a design problem, but why not? The cubicles for individual privacy already exist, what more do you need?
For a more in-depth reading about how you can make a difference and help "stand up" for the trans* community and the difficulties they face with public restrooms, check this out: Peeing in Peace: A Resource Guide for Transgender Activists and Allies
For a more in-depth reading about how you can make a difference and help "stand up" for the trans* community and the difficulties they face with public restrooms, check this out: Peeing in Peace: A Resource Guide for Transgender Activists and Allies
Public Lash-back
There are many instances of communities that are unreceptive to the idea of gender neutral public restrooms, of which I tend to be critical about. One of argument against this is to reduce the amount of sexual assaults in public bathrooms. However, this assumes that same-sex sexual assault doesn't occur [4]. It also assumes that if someone were in pursuit, most likely in an isolated and empty bathroom, the gender label on a bathroom door would stop them.
One case of a political push to keep gender segregated, a Florida bill was proposed to "require people to use bathrooms according to their gender assigned at birth--or face criminal charges and lawsuits" (Glenza). Some of statements made by Republican State House Representative, Frank Artiles, I personally find offensive. This one deserves a block of its own:
One case of a political push to keep gender segregated, a Florida bill was proposed to "require people to use bathrooms according to their gender assigned at birth--or face criminal charges and lawsuits" (Glenza). Some of statements made by Republican State House Representative, Frank Artiles, I personally find offensive. This one deserves a block of its own:
“I want her to use the bathroom designated by her anatomy – not the way she feels. If we are going to pass laws on people’s feelings, we are going to have a serious Constitutional issue.”
--Artiles, from Jessica Glenza, "Florida law would ban transgender people from choosing their restroom"
This bill makes a point to explicitly define gender as a “person’s biological sex, either male or female, at birth” which is just another example at how, as Rubin points out, gender and sexuality are politicized. This definition of gender reduces our being and identity to a medical classification that completely disregards our ability to express sex as a noun and a verb [5].
The Thing About Communities...
There is no denying how powerful a good community dynamic is to establishing healthy growth and development. At the same time, it also has the potential to be detrimental, especially for emerging trans* youth. The feeling of safety is so important to foster your own unique identity. This is reflected in the design of communities to ensure there are public spaces that allow for unrestrained freedom to express oneself. Petra Doan explains that "Many young trans men and women first experiment with gender variance by visiting queer safe zones, walking on streets, going to restaurants, and hanging out in the omnipresent bars. Without such spaces, queer youth and newly emerging trans people will be forced into spaces, malls, and suburban shopping areas that are not nearly as queer-friendly [6]." Unfortunately there are still instances of trans* discrimination. Doan includes a survey study that showed "19% of transgender respondents have been denied housing and another 11% had been evicted due to their transgender status [7]."
To zoom in on a look at communities, anyone knows how difficult it is to grow up, not to mention how brutal kids can be. Schools are a major platform where we are socialized, learn how to develop relationships, and discover who we are [8]. Not only are kids figuring out whether they want to accept or reject the idea of sexual variance depending on their upbringing, but there is a hidden curriculum enforcing negative attitudes that deviate from the heteronormative society we live in [9]. Woolley discusses her experience observing the prominence of LGBT awareness at MacArthur High. She writes extensively on the Gay-Straight Alliance-initiated Day of Silence and the effect of illocutionary and locutionary silencing that plays a role in its effectiveness. At this particular high school, it is important to note how the hidden curriculum is enforced actively by the students as well as passively by the teachers to stop any harassment. This unsafe environment is the cause of many the many LGBT youth suicides across the nation. Looking forward, a proactive step we can take to combat this is to make people aware of the hidden curriculum and actually start incorporating it into the official curriculum.
To zoom in on a look at communities, anyone knows how difficult it is to grow up, not to mention how brutal kids can be. Schools are a major platform where we are socialized, learn how to develop relationships, and discover who we are [8]. Not only are kids figuring out whether they want to accept or reject the idea of sexual variance depending on their upbringing, but there is a hidden curriculum enforcing negative attitudes that deviate from the heteronormative society we live in [9]. Woolley discusses her experience observing the prominence of LGBT awareness at MacArthur High. She writes extensively on the Gay-Straight Alliance-initiated Day of Silence and the effect of illocutionary and locutionary silencing that plays a role in its effectiveness. At this particular high school, it is important to note how the hidden curriculum is enforced actively by the students as well as passively by the teachers to stop any harassment. This unsafe environment is the cause of many the many LGBT youth suicides across the nation. Looking forward, a proactive step we can take to combat this is to make people aware of the hidden curriculum and actually start incorporating it into the official curriculum.
[1] Seidman, S. (2011). Tauches, K. Transgendering: Challenging the "Normal" In Introducing the new sexuality studies (2nd ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
[2] Farro, S. (2014, April 8). Toilet Trouble: When Bathroom Architecture And Identity Politics Collide.
[3] Brown, E. (2014, April 11). The Biggest Obstacle to Gender Neutral Bathrooms? Building Codes.
[4] Glenza, J. (2015, February 6). Florida law would ban transgender people from choosing their restroom. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
[5] Rubin, G. (1984) “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality.” Pp. 143-171 in From Gender to Sexuality. London, UK: Routledge.
[6] Doan, P. (2011). Creating Safe Spaces for the Gender Varient. In Queerying Planning: Challenging heteronormative assumptions and reframing planning practice. Burlington, Vt.: Ashgate Pub.
[7] Doan, P. (2011). Ensuring Affordable and Appropriate Housing. In Queerying Planning: Challenging heteronormative assumptions and reframing planning practice. Burlington, Vt.: Ashgate Pub.
[8] Transgender Students in U.S. Schools. (2009, January 1). Retrieved February 24, 2015, from http://glsen.org
[9] Woolley, S. (2014). (Im)perceptible silences: Hearing LGBTQ silences and voices at school. In E. J. Meyer & D. Carlson (Eds.), Gender and Sexualities in Education. New York: Peter Lang. pp.
[2] Farro, S. (2014, April 8). Toilet Trouble: When Bathroom Architecture And Identity Politics Collide.
[3] Brown, E. (2014, April 11). The Biggest Obstacle to Gender Neutral Bathrooms? Building Codes.
[4] Glenza, J. (2015, February 6). Florida law would ban transgender people from choosing their restroom. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
[5] Rubin, G. (1984) “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality.” Pp. 143-171 in From Gender to Sexuality. London, UK: Routledge.
[6] Doan, P. (2011). Creating Safe Spaces for the Gender Varient. In Queerying Planning: Challenging heteronormative assumptions and reframing planning practice. Burlington, Vt.: Ashgate Pub.
[7] Doan, P. (2011). Ensuring Affordable and Appropriate Housing. In Queerying Planning: Challenging heteronormative assumptions and reframing planning practice. Burlington, Vt.: Ashgate Pub.
[8] Transgender Students in U.S. Schools. (2009, January 1). Retrieved February 24, 2015, from http://glsen.org
[9] Woolley, S. (2014). (Im)perceptible silences: Hearing LGBTQ silences and voices at school. In E. J. Meyer & D. Carlson (Eds.), Gender and Sexualities in Education. New York: Peter Lang. pp.