TorilMUD Forums

First this is just ridiculous. Restrooms are separated based on biological characteristics, not by gender indentity. While I understand a transgender man might feel uncomfortable goign to the restroom with men or feel like they are being harmed by not being able to associate with those that share their same gender identity we really need to bring some sanity into the conversation. If you are a man with a female gender indentity, you are really different at least today. You are an exception and you basically need to get comfortable with that. To make you comfortable, should other people be forced to be uncomfortable en masse?

Clearly single occupancy bathrooms are the only long term solution if one is necessary at all. In thailand they have transgender bathrooms in their schools, but I doubt that would be enough to satisfy US critics.

Second, they start talking about diagnosis of gender identity as a criteria for decideing whether a biologically female could go to the men's restroom. It is beyond my comprehension why the state, medical profession or anyone else should be able to decide if you have a legitimate gender identity that qualifies you for using a particular restroom. When I gender identify myself as a bird, can I demand a special birds bathroom? Yes I know that makes no sense, but what limits us to 2 gender identities, male and female. In time I don't see how we can avoid some cutting edge researcher coming up with new ones.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/08/ma ... oms-teams/

*lesbian trapped in a man's body joke*

What if we tried something insane...restrooms than -anyone- can go in!

I like how you say this with such moral authority:

"Restrooms are separated based on biological characteristics"

It is an absolutely arbitrary concept created by societal pressure. Take a step back and ask yourself why. Oh, that's right...because religion teaches that men and women should be separate.

So yeah, funny how you chafe at the idea of changing the accepted arbitrary social norm to a second, arbitrary social norm.

Bathrooms are separated in order to allow people to feel comfortable, and select bathrooms based on what helps other people feel more comfortable, not out of anger for the perceptions of others.

I'm describing the current practice, but like i said, the only long term answer is individual bathrooms.

also in the article is the broader notion that you can't restrict based on gender in sports, yet this is another situation based on biology.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/15/ma ... latestnews

They shelved it after the public got pissed off at them and their attempt to quietly just ram it through with no public comment.

Hmm. I think what I said before was a little too nebulous. I think people should select a restroom to use based on what would make OTHER people feel more comfortable.