Here's a problem most of us don't think of every day: Which public restroom should I use, men or women? More importantly, will I be safe when I go in? But these are questions that pepper the daily lives of transgender people. Although most would prefer to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity, 70% of transgender men and women have faced harassment in public bathroom stalls—and so far, little action has been taken toward finding a broad solution. In her new video, vlogger Laci Green addresses the issue of gender neutral bathrooms, which would significantly decrease the stress that transgender people face on a daily basis.
The video is especially topical given that Austin, Texas just passed a law which will make all single stall bathrooms gender neutral, which may be just the push that other cities need to follow suit. In the meantime, college students are holding "shit-ins" (side note: I'll never get over this pun) across the country to protest gendered bathrooms in favor of gender neutral bathrooms that would make gender minorities feel safer. Unfortunately, according to Green, it is hard to come up with a solution for this because of one particular argument: Some people (largely cisgender women) have pointed out that universally shared bathrooms could potentially open the door for more frequent instances of sexual assault.
Green goes on to outline several possible compromises that would still serve the overall goal of helping transgender people feel safer, including making all bathrooms single-stalled and gender neutral or giving three options for bathrooms: male, female, or shared (although astutely she points out that the this option runs the risk of turning into a "separate but equal" situation). She also points out the inherent ridiculousness of the situation, and ends the video with these words to live by: "Everybody deserves to piss in peace." Preach.
Image: YouTube
