Should transsexuals be able to use the other gender's bathroom?

Gainesville, Fl. just made it legal for transpeople to use the bathroom of the gender with which they identify. This is a good thing.

You say that you wouldn't be comfortable, but honestly, if you have a person who is living life as a woman, on hormones and/or transitioned, you most likely wouldn't be able to tell the difference between her and a biological woman. Same for a transman.

See, the thing is that she's always been a woman, she just didn't have the proper plumbing. Same thing for the transman.

They are people. They should be able to use the restroom of the proper gender. If they are a woman they should be able to use the ladies room, and should not be in the men's room. If they are men, then they should be in the men's room and not the ladies room.

Trans people are people. They are whichever gender with which they identify and should be accorded all of the rights thereof.

I've posted three youtube videos. The first one is currently being shown in gainesville by anti glbt lobbyists. The man in that video is NOT a transman. He is a biological man. The add is misleading.

The second video is an advert for wine in italy. While a bit predictable, it's a nice ad that puts transpeople in a positive light.

The third is a person named Jarina. She is a pre-operative transsexual woman. You wouldn't be able to tell by meeting her.

The truth is that they are people, just like you and me. They should be treated just like you and me. I use a men's room because I am male. My friend in texas also uses the men's room because he is male. The only difference between us is that I didn't have to change my body to reflect what was true of us both.

My friend in Virginia (I think that's where she is) is a femake and thus uses the ladies room. My mother uses the ladies room. The only difference is that my friend had to go on hormone therapy and eventually have invasive and dangerous surgery to reflect what has always been true of them both.

He is a man, she is a woman. You wouldn't know the difference to look at either of them. I would be uncomfortable if my friend in Virginia were to be forced to use the men's room. She's a woman. She doesn't belong there.

If you were in the transgendered position you might be able to understand this. Normally people don't have to think twice about going into public bathrooms. For us trans people, it's an everyday struggle, an everyday battle. I am FTM and I pass about 90% of the time until I talk because I am not on testosterone yet. But I go into men's bathrooms most of the time and just try to run in without making eye contact with anybody. It's pretty scary sometimes but I have not been confronted in the bathroom yet thank God.

If available I always use the gender neutral bathroom. They are becoming more common but they aren't everywhere.

For the trans community's sake I think we should be able to use whatever bathroom we relate to more. I say that because if the individual is indeed transgendered they normally dress like it or look like their preferred gender on the outside. Now if a man walks into the women's bathroom wearing your typical male clothing I would question that.

But for us trans people who dress the part, we shouldn't get harrassed when we use the mens or womens bathrooms. People just need to try to understand, take the time to think about how it makes us feel. I have heard stories of other transguys like me who have just avoided public restrooms in general and they have gotten bladder infections from holding it so much and that should not have to happen.

You can tell the difference between a transwomen trying to use the women's restroom from a man who walks in just trying to catch a peek. Some of this stuff is just common sense if we take the time to think about it...

I use the women's.. If I used a mans, I would probably get raped.

One interesting point on your question... the statement "dangerous perverts pretending". This seems to be the misconception out there about transgendered individuals and transsexuals. There are not dangerous perverts pretending. There really have been so few "Dangerous Perverts pretending" that use the ploy of dressing up as a woman to gain access to the women's private areas. It is really an irrational fear, basic ignorance, but it perpetuates the stereo type and fear.

You have probably been in a ladies room at a movie theatre, restaurant, or any other public setting and had transsexuals and transgendered individuals in there with you and you never knew.

And where do you propose that we go when we need to use a restroom and we are out in public? I am MtF, currently living part time as a female. This one is a no-brainer, I use the facilities for the gender that I am presenting as. If I am presenting as female and go into the men's room, it is humiliating and I am risking my safety. Men have been known to react violently when they realize that a transsexual person is in their midst. As Paula stated, people go into the restroom to use the toilet, wash hands, maybe check them self in the mirror, and leave. I have never had a problem using the women's room when I am out in public as a female. Being transsexual is not about the clothes, is not about the makeup, and is not about sexual arousal or pleasure. Being transsexual is about gender identity. It is about who that person looking back at me from the mirror is. It is about being treated as a member of the gender that I identify as.

Yes, of course they should be able to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with! This only applies to legitimate transgender or transsexual people though, not some pervert who just wants to use the women's room for fun.

Also, it does not matter if they have had a sex change or not, it only matters that they identify as the gender of the bathroom they're using.

WOW!!! What a load of ignorance from the majority of answers and even the question. Tell me exactly what it is you do in a rest room. For me I go in, sit down and pee, wipe, pull my pants up, wash my hands maybe fix my hair, check my make up if I am wearing any, and leave.

Think seriously for just one minute. So a guy takes the time to dress as a woman, goes into a public rest room in a mall or where ever. Hides and waits to rape a unsuspecting woman just feet from possibly hundreds of people that will hear her scream. GET REAL OK say he does manage to rape her. The second he trys to leave she screams and points him out. BUSTED. There has never been a documented case of this scenario happening.

So where do you suggest I pee? I'm waiting, give me an answer. I use the women's room because that is my gender, I walk into the women's room and do not even get a second glance. You know what? I may have even shared a rest room with you!

I do have a solution to this though. Post a rent a cop outside every rest room. Every one pulls down there pants for genital inspection prior to entering. I'll be next in line after you submit to that humiliation..

Your right, this is not homophobic, its transphobic.

Where would you have people who are trans urinate? In the plants circling the food court at the mall? In a waste bin in a corner?

Gender neutral bathrooms are becoming more common luckily, since many people who are trans hate running into people who feel entitled to harass them when they are in the bathroom.

As for dangerous perverts attempting to pass themselves off as women, I have never heard in my life of any man being caught in a women's bathroom dressed as a female doing anything dangerous or perverted. If a guy is going to do something wrong, he doesn't wear a disguise. He also usually doesn't do it in a women's bathroom.

In short, everyone should use a restroom they feel comfortable in and everyone should just mind their own business. All this fear mongering is just silly and a waste of energy.

For myself I've had TONS of trouble using the bathroom. To some I appear male, to others I appear female. When I use the women's rest room I get yelled at and I've had security called. I can't use the men's room usually because I can't pee standing at a urinal too well due to my lack of male equipment. If there are stalls I would prefer the men's room, but the only way to know is by walking into the room. I'm female to male, just so ya know.

As for transsexual women, I know that many of them are not detectable from biologically female bodied persons. You might assume somebody is male when infact they are female.

What's in our pants is for us to know, just as what's in your pants is for you to know.

Interesting.

I know many guys who would gladly say they were women to get into a woman's changing room or bathroom.So it would have to be judged on appearance, but many women dress kinda tomboyish. So that wouldn't work.

I just don't know, good question though :o)

Vik

I believe if they have actually had the sex change then they should be able to use their current gender's bathroom no questions asked, however if they have not had the sex change then i am not so sure, i would need to think more about that, that is a trickier situation.