Currently the citizens living in the United States are imprisoned within the binary of two genders. It is only acceptable for a person to identify as a male or a female. Depending on the gender the person identifies, as there is an expectation of how that person should look and act. The person identifying as the specific gender, must maintain the gender norms that are in place. These gender binaries are so prevalent in our lives; it is to the point where a large group of Americans are being overlooked. This group of Americans identifies as transgender, which means they do not fit society’s expectations of how a specific gender should look and behave. (gaycenter.org, 2012). The trans population does not fit the expected gender molds that are …show more content…
By only giving the choice of using a Men’s or a Women’s bathroom it has further enforced the gender binary: “In the moment that one must choose between two doors—one marked “men” and one marked “women”—the binary construction of gender is never more blatantly enforced” (Herman, 2012, p.25). When someone is presented with only two choices of restrooms, it is enforcing the ideals that those are the only two options a person can be. Also these gender binaries are shaming anyone who does not fit into them. These gender binaries are so normalized and engrained in society that they lead to inadequate bathroom access for transgender people throughout the United States. The trans people are the ones who do not fit society’s gender norms and they are being isolated, because of …show more content…
This however, only aggravates the difficulties that already exist within the changes occurring, because it causes some to feel uncomfortable at the thought of two different sexes sharing one bathroom at the same time. Although this is often not the case, because the transgender person will often if not always use the bathroom they feel best matches their gender. (Transequality, 2016). It is common misinterpretations such as these that are averting people from supporting and understanding how simple the issue is. Like everyone else the trans population would like equal access to public restrooms. No one should have to fit into a gender binary in order to feel comfortable completing everyday activities, such as using the
Transgendered people have a different and unique fight than the rest of the community. Transgendered peoples not only have the issues of “coming out,” (as others in the communities do) but also becoming a different gender. There are different obstacles that Trans people have to face.
The most common issue transgender individuals face every day is bathroom use. When a transgender person uses the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity, it boosts well-being. It is legal to for transgender individuals to use whichever bathroom
“The federal government and almost every state recognize transgender people’s right to change their name and to have identification documents with the gender marker that matches their gender identity.” (Jami Kathleen Taylor, 2007) There are a lot of misconceptions on what the meaning of transgender is, some think that they only become the person whether it is male to female, or female to male after surgery. What people fail to realize is that every transgender person transitions in their own way.
In order for people of opposite genitals to use the same facility, changes for privacy should be made. American public restrooms have huge gaps in between the doors and stall dividers. These gaps do not allow for adequate privacy. Urinals with no dividers offer no privacy. Transgender people want privacy just as much as Cisgender people. Companies might balk at the cost of remodeling restrooms. It is the time that companies update the bathrooms regardless of the transgender bathroom issue. The majority of people keep their privates private. The people that are flashing their privates around are going to do so whether they are in a restroom or not. Changes should be made in all restrooms that do not allow complete privacy. Other than installing adequate stalls and dividers for privacy no major changes would need to be made for unisex or gender neutral restrooms. If privacy issues are addressed, then there would be no stigma of using a gender-neutral
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, though. 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 comes many issues and questions.
When an individual identifies themselves as transgender, it means that they feel that their biological gender does not match with their psychological gender. To put that into a simple man’s term, the individual feels they “were born in the wrong body”. For example, a man feels that he was meant to be born a woman and vise-versa. It does sound rather unusual, but why should that matter? An individual should be able to make his or her own decisions about how they live their life. Unfortunately though, not everyone feels the same way about this. That is how the controversy is created. This is why transgender rights should be strengthened in America not only because it is morally correct, but also because it would ease the lives of the people within this group, reduce the discrimination and harassment rates of transgender individuals, and help establish awareness.
There are many different Gender identities and gender neutral bathrooms effect more than just Trans people. People who are not transgender also have trouble when it comes to bathrooms. For example, someone who is gender fluid is described to "feel like a mix of the two traditional genders, but may feel more man some days, and more woman other days." (Killerman). It is very difficult for people who do not "pass" as a specific gender to use the restroom in public. This is not an issue solely felt by transgendered people.
In an article done by Nicole Russel, she seeks to analyze two main things, one, that allowing every person who claims they are transgender into the bathroom of their choice is potentially a hazardous and dangerous situation and two that while people think they are fighting for equality of all, but are actually fighting for equality of transgender people, which is pushing rights of everyone else to the side. The following is her arguments. She stresses that most transgender people are basing these arguments off of feelings rather than facts. Russel will end her arguments by asking her readers to question whether its right exchange one group of peoples comfort for another's. are we treating both trangender and nontransgender people equally.
Most transgenders are most likely just like us normal people, but certain circumstances call for certain measures and this is one of those cases. There is nothing against them personally, just having separate bathrooms is just a thing that needs to be set in place to protect everyone, including transgenders.
Instead, we should try to walk in the shoes of a transgender person and see all of the things they fear on a daily basis. Nearly “63.4% of transgender students reported avoiding bathrooms” at their school (Transgender Students). These students should not have the be afraid to use the restroom at school. As people, they should have the right to do what makes them happy. I personally believe that myself nor does anyone else have the right to tell someone they can not do what makes them happy. As long as someone is not putting themselves or others in danger, then they should be able to do as they please.
Within the recent years, the transgender movement has become more apparent than ever. With television shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, “Keeping It Up With Cait” and “I Am Jazz”, the voices of transgender people are more public than ever. Celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner and Laverene Cox are changing the face of the movement by showing people that it is never too late to be their true selves. American laws acknowledge the rights of transgender people, but not in a positive way. These are just people trying to be their best selves.
The issue of gender neutral bathrooms and transgender bathrooms is a hot topic right now in North America. Some people are strongly for it and others are going to great lengths to stop it. The majority of public bathrooms in Canada and The United States of America are gender segregated. Public bathrooms are one of the last places to still be separated by gender. Men and women work with each other, sit next to each other in restaurants, use public pools together, and much more. A bathroom with a locked stall, or single occupancy washrooms with a lock, should not be much different. When the idea was raised by the LGBTQIA*+ community to have transgender bathrooms or gender neutral bathrooms, North America was divided. There were those with no
Recently, there has been an uproar of debates on the topic of gender neutral bathrooms. Most of the debates have had to deal with the LGBTQ+ community trying to use the bathroom they identify with. However, these debates have mainly focused on transgenders, “transgender is a term used to describe people whose gender identity differs from the sex the doctor marked on their birth certificate” (GLADD). There has been several bills that “have been filed in three states to prevent transgender people from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identity” (Tannehill). Kentucky has tried to pass bills that target transgender students, but the bill in Texas and Florida would apply to everywhere (Tannehill). There are many different sides to this
Bathrooms are a necessary part of one’s life; however could public restrooms be causing harm? Currently in the United States people are imprisoned within the binary of two genders. Someone can either be a male or a female, and depending on the gender a person is they are expected to act and look a certain way. These gender binaries are so prevalent in our lives; it is to the point where a large group of Americans are being overlooked. This group of Americans identifies as transgender, which means they do not fit society’s expectations of how a specific gender should look and behave. (gaycenter.org, 2012). When using a bathroom a person is most likely only offered with two choices, men’s and women’s. By only giving
When it comes to transgender and gender nonconforming people gendered bathrooms can be a safe haven. Those who identify as transgender often struggle with going to public bathrooms. If they use the one for their identified gender