Monday, January 12, 2009

Wanted: Single Stall, gender neutral bathrooms

Too often I find myself sprinting up the walkway to my house, through my living room, and into the bathroom to pee. No, I don't have any health issues. I do, however, have issues with public washrooms. Or more accurately, people using public washrooms have issues with me.
Using a public bathroom is an absolute last resort for me. It takes mental preparation to even enter one.
When I am forced to use one, I plan each action as though it were a battle plan. I time my entrance with exact precision. I make sure not to follow anyone, or be followed in. That leads to awkward double takes between the sign on the door, and at me.
Best case scenario I enter when the bathroom is empty. Otherwise I time my entrance so that everyone present in the bathroom is locked inside a stall, so they don't see me walk in.
Getting out is just as tricky. I hide inside the stall until everyone else done washing their hands, and primping. Then with near superhuman speed I wash my hands, and exist the bathroom. But it doesn't end there, once I am out of the bathroom I need to quickly get away from the door. Staying by it tends to leads to double takes at the sign and at me, again.
I can't always be lucky enough to have an empty bathroom. At bars, or restaurants there tends to be a continuous flow in and out of the bathroom. In these situations I retreat to what is more like a 'duck and cover' tactic, then a battle plan.
I keep my eyes down when I enter the room, making sure not to look at anyone. I move quickly and quietly to the nearest stall, and wash my hands without looking up into the mirror.
My hard to categorize gender is noticed, by those in and outside the washrooms. I am stopped at the door by people telling me I am going into the wrong room. Once I get into the bathroom, I am bombarded by peoples reactions. My presence results in giggles between friends pointing me out. To women checking of the door to see if they are in the right bathroom. Sideways glances, trying to decipher why there is a boy in the girl’s bathroom. Or in some instances, confrontation. I have been physically pushed, and told I was in the wrong bathroom.

This happens to many others out there. People who don't easily fit into the ridge boxes society has for gender, and sex. Something as simple as using the bathroom should not be stressful. I shouldn't have to jokingly warn my friends that if I’m not back in five minutes, I have been beaten up in the bathroom. I shouldn’t fear that it is possible for that to happen.

Single Stall, gender neutral bathrooms need to be widely available. They are not only necessary for gender queer persons, but a bonus in general. Without the restriction to a single sex, more people can use the bathroom. Which shortens the lines in the gender specific bathrooms.

Safe2Pee is an amazing website, it is a database of "gender neutral bathrooms, unisex restrooms, accessible toilets. bathrooms for everyone." You can search for the locations of such bathrooms in your city.

1 comment:

  1. When I introduced the idea of having gender neutral washrooms in my workplace, the number one argument used against it was... (wait for it)...pee on the seats. Interesting, non? Some of the women in the office did not want to 'touch' seats that the men had "obviously" peed on.

    We now have gender neutral washrooms with signage that reads: "This is a gender neutral washroom, in order to respect all users, please leave the toilet seat down." This, of course, is supplemented by the obligatory "if you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweet and wipe the seat".

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