Most people don’t have to think about which bathroom to use. They use the one labeled men’s or the one labeled women’s. It’s a simple decision. For transgender individuals, however, it is not that easy. The transgender rights movement has gained a lot of attention in recent years and with that attention brings many issues and questions.
One of the issues that has popped up is which bathroom transgender people should use. Some think that people should only use the bathroom of the sex that they were assigned at birth while others feel they should be able to use the one that corresponds with the gender they feel they are and live as. Forcing transgender individuals to use the bathroom of their biological sex may seem like a good solution to this problem. However, on top of promoting violence and harassment and violating rights, this is attempting to fix a controversy that should never have been one to begin with.One of the biggest concerns when it comes to transgender bathroom use is violence and harassment. Violence is a valid concern, but while it does happen in bathrooms, transgender men and women tend to encounter it more.
The Office of Civil Rights noticed that along with gay and bisexual students, transgender students report high levels of sexual assault (Kennedy). Facts such as that mixed with concerns of violence cause many transgender people to be scared of using the bathroom. Whichever bathroom they use they will likely face judgement and even violence, but it is often in the bathroom of their biological sex that it will be the worst. Teagon Widmer, a transgender woman, said that while she might get insulted in a women’s bathroom, in a men ‘s she could “get called a faggot or a tranny and then beaten up” (Steinmetz 3). Al. .
starting to become. It is getting rid of the controversy and confusion that will make public bathrooms a better place for everyone. As Teagan Widmer said, “ It doesn’t seem like a controversial issue to me. it’s pretty simple. People need to pee” (Steinmetz). Public bathrooms need to be free of violence and harassment.
People should feel that their privacy is being respected while they are using it. Making transgender individuals use a bathroom that they are not comfortable using is not the key to making that happen. If anything, it causes more violence and lack of privacy. Everyone should have the right to use the bathroom of the gender that matches who they are and who they live as. If everyone would realize that using the bathroom does not have to be such a tremendous controversy, it would make public bathroom use a much better and easier experience for everyone.
