The general view of gender segregated bathrooms has been challenged once gender neutral bathrooms came into play in the public school setting. According to Debate.org, 60% of Americans believe that schools should have gender neutral restrooms; which allow transgender or gender challenged students use the restroom without the fear of judgment. Shouldn’t everyone have the right to use the restroom? While numerous of schools have tried to make transgendered students to feel as comfortable as possible at school, in which some students consider a “safe place” due to a bully free policy, many students are viewed negatively. This issue does not only take place in grade school, but as well as graduate schools. The idea of transgender students utilizing …show more content…
When referring to transgender, according to Glaad.org, it 's “an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.” People under the transgender umbrella may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms such as trans or transsexual. Trans is “used as shorthand to mean transgender or transsexual - or sometimes to be inclusive of a wide variety of identities under the transgender umbrella.” Because many people don’t know the meaning of trans and/or is not widely understood, its suggested to not use the term unless clearly explained or stated in quote. The term transsexual is “an older term that originated in the medical and psychological communities. It’s still preferred by some people who have permanently changed - or seek to change - their bodies through medical interventions.” The difference of the term is that it 's not an umbrella term. Some people do not like referred to as transgender therefore, transsexual comes to …show more content…
Overtime, transgendered students may have been subjected to be either ridiculed, abused, or even assaulted physically or sexually in a public restroom. In the article “Which Way to the Restroom? - Respecting the Rights of Transgender Youth in the School System: A North American Perspective”, authors Grant Bowers and Wendy Lopez both agree that “ as a general rule, transgender students of any age should have access to the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity, particularly if it aligns with their gender presentation”(Bowers and Lopez). Although this idea sounds great, many do not agree, especially the parents of the students. In cases such as Nicole Ames, A fifth grade student at Asa Adams Elementary School in Maine, where she was followed into the restroom and assaulted by a male student, are examples why these gender neutral bathrooms should become available in the schools setting. The aftermath of the physical assault led to a huge debate whether or not she should continue going to her school. After speaking with the school and district, “Nicole 's parents had met with the school’s administration and agreed that the student could use the girls ' restroom unless other girls or parents objected” (Bowers and Lopez). Every school has to deal with every student 's rights because they are all
For instance, sociologists would argue that characteristics of the male gender in a given society include independence, and dominance whereas females express more passive behavior. Gender identity, on the other hand is an individual’s sense of their gender or in other words, their sense as to whether they are feminine or masculine. Therefore, transgender is a term related to “people whose gender identity is different from the gender commonly socially assigned to them on the basis of their biological sex” (Morrow & Messinger, 2006, p. 7).“Biological theories assume that gender should be consistent with biological sex and there are only two genders and two sexes” which does not correspond to transgender people. Furthermore, transgender is also used as a general term to include people such as transsexuals and cross-dressers
“Qualitative study that paints a picture of what life is like for transgender people, Wyss (2004) interviewed seven transgender high school students and asked them about their experiences at school. … Many report that not just other students harassed them but that people they even considered friends would either help or join with assailants during physical attacks. Two of the students were set on fire in school. There were also constant threats of sexual assault, or coercive sex, or physical assault, both verbal threats and notes left in lockers.”
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 they feel to be is more beneficial. Many schools and states are trying to appeal this law. When the South Dakota House of Representatives were faced with the option to veto this law they chose to keep the law in place (“South Dakota House”). New York has also reinforced transgender individual’s right to choosing a bathroom (“New York mayor”).
The eye opening article utilized for this analysis is titled, “Trans Women at Smith: The Complexities of Checking ‘Female’” ,written by contributing writer, Sarah Fraas on August 24, 2014 (pg 683-685). Fraas starts off by introducing the audience with a school that accepts trans women, Mills College, and talks about how glorious this decision is. The author then begins to talk about other schools not as accepting as Mills, especially Smiths College. She spews many facts and analysis on the issues trans women face today throughout the article including how transgender women are not gaining enough support to succeed, most transgendered women are neglected in school, and the fact that many have been accused of being a woman for the “wrong” reason. She also mindfully includes the image of a woman of color holding up a sign saying, “Support your sisters, not just your CIS-ters!”. The author utilizes this image to show people that we are all one whether we
In order to answer whether transgender children be allowed to use the restroom they identify with I would first like to identify what transgender means. According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary “The Medical Definition of TRANSGENDER.: of, relating to, or being a person (as a transsexual or a transvestite) who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person 's sex at birth.” I believe the knowing what transgender means is important because there are misconceptions about someone being transgender. This definition is also important as it helps support the pros and cons of my argument. I was confused about transgender individuals before doing research for this paper. However, based on the article “From Jack to Jill:
Rael, Andrea. "Coy Mathis, Colo. Transgender Child Banned From Using School Bathroom, Ignites Debate Over Anti-Discrimination Laws." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 19 Mar. 2013. Web. 22 May 2014.
These restrooms came to exist because the transgender community was feeling discriminated against. While transgenders should not feel discriminated in public places, they should examine the potential consequences of transgender bathrooms to see if they are in the best interest for the majority of the population. Forcing the majority to cater to the minority actually discriminates against the majority, by forcing the majority to perform actions something they might believe are unsafe or even unethical. Transgender bathrooms should not exist, since most stores already have unisex and family bathrooms in place. If transgenders feel discriminated against by being forced to use their genetic gender’s bathroom, then they should use the unisex bathrooms without having to create problems for the majority of
Transsexuals, defined simply is a person who from the very core of there being feels like they are in the wrong orientation and transgenderism is that state of being when one's gender doesn't match those feelings. In the case of transgender children they usually feel like god made a mistake and in some case scenarios boys particularly try to alleviate the situation themsel...
Transgender and gender nonconforming people generally feel uncomfortable when they need to use the restroom. This problem needs to be addressed because 53 percent of transgender people report being harassed in bathrooms (Lambda Legal). In fact, bathrooms remain one of the only publicly gender separated areas in the United States (Kopas). It was not that long ago that the idea of mixed-race water fountains, let alone public restrooms was radical. Gender-neutral bathrooms should be required everywhere there are gender binary bathrooms. This would eliminate the general uneasiness with transgender people about bathrooms and result in a more inclusive society (Kopas).
Gender is seen as a spectrum, and one can fall anywhere on this spectrum. Again, according to Sam Killerman, being transgendered means living "as a member of a gender other than that expected based on sex assigned at birth." Just because a person is born with male genitalia does not mean they have to be male.
Furthermore, as there are only male and female identities on the ID cards, and there are only male and female’s washrooms, many transgender people have faced serious insults and discriminations in the public. These serious insults happen almost every day in their life and it has caused severe mental stress on them, which would lead them to have emotional disorders and depressions. They are facing unequally in the public utilities and services. The transgender community should have the right to use the restroom of the gender they identify with or have an alternate choice. Transgender people deserve the right to have access to a comfortable, safe place to go to the restroom just as any other human being. Yes, it could potentially be a dangerous liability, but remember the feelings of the people who live in the wrong body. A safe way for the trans community to use the restroom would be to give the option of a gender neutral facility. The problems that the transgender people are facing are not just some emotional harmfulness; it is some problems and inequalities that would seriously endanger their lives, like health cares and life-threatening behaviors which are caused by the ongoing
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
Being transgender refers to having a gender identity that differs from one’s assigned gender. Therefore, one can be male biologically, but behavior and feelings are of the female gender. In a move to ensure equality of all persons as stipulated in the constitution, there have been discussions mainly targeted at the issue of bathrooms in schools. Transphobia has affected how transgender people relate with other people, and the bathrooms can be used to prevent it at an early age. Also, some other advantages have been identified with unisex bathrooms for instance reduction of bullying and drug abuse in male bathrooms. Transphobia can be reduced by the introduction of unisex bathrooms in both secondary