The Segregation Of Bathrooms

Legal discrimination and segregation is alive and well in the United States. All over the country, groups of people are being forced into situations that are converse to the very nature of their being, subject to extreme violence and hatred. The very narrow minded view of how the country sees sex and gender, as exhibited by the media and politics, is causing immense harm to many American citizens, as the idea of a binary gender system and long-standing sexist views has contributed to the segregation of bathrooms under the thin veil of protection. Bathroom facilities should no longer be segregated by gender to prevent discrimination against those in the transgender community, therefore decreasing the prominence of mental health issues associated

Because America views gender in only two categories, people who upset the binary are subject to mass discrimination by members of the general public, causing them to lose their homes, jobs, or life savings. For example, in a study of Northeastern business students, 34 percent gave a hostile response when approached with a situation regarding a transgender employee. Each student was given the same scenario where a female employee was uncomfortable sharing the bathroom with a male-to-female transitioning co-worker. Of the 194 students, only 27 percent gave an inclusive response, making all restrooms gender neutral (Rudin 726). The study exemplifies how transgender individuals are misunderstood and discriminated against in the workforce and even in the broader society. It is shown that transgender people are more mentally secure when they exist in a society that accepts their identity. Michael, a transgender man, cites the importance of support networks and the assistance that comes with it. His mom is “still pretty hostile about” his gender identity, which has affected his life negatively and has made it harder for him to talk to her openly (Dentice

Since bathrooms are based on sexist views that hold men as protectors and women as weak and since gendered bathrooms cause many problems for people who do not follow conventional rules of gender, bathrooms without gender can even-out the lines to the women’s restroom, provide transgender people a safe place to use the bathroom, and allow non-binary people the chance to not feel excluded or discriminated against. It is the duty as American citizens to fight for those who are treated unequally, even in places like bathrooms. Everyday- people should push for comprehensive legislation mandating that at least all public restroom facilities are gender neutral, or that all public buildings have at least one multi-stall gender-neutral bathroom. Citizens should stand up for the minority, who are currently being smothered by rhetoric with no factual backing, under the thin veil of protecting children. This way, America can progress as the land of the free once