2008 Woodie Awards
Liberating our bathrooms from gender oppression
Adrian Shanker
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Op/Ed
As more of my trans-identified friends have decided to start the transitioning process, I have begun to see bathrooms as a leading opponent to freedom from gender oppression. I have noticed more closely just how oppressing gendered bathrooms are. That when talking about gender binaries, bathrooms are a clear example. There are only two choices, and you must fit into one of them, regardless of the fact that few of us really do…
Our binary gender system allows us to pee in either the "men's room" or the "women's room" - but doesn't allow for the tiniest bit of gender fluidity among us. Take, for example, a masculine woman who enters the women's restroom. The moment she enters, she becomes victim to the game of gender oppression which tells girls to conform to an archaic model of femininity. The masculine woman in the girls' bathroom or the effeminate male in the men's room are both subject to harassment simply for their need to use the bathroom, while not conforming to societal gender roles. Even more clearly, a problem with our bathroom binary comes for our trans-identified friends who may not identify with either male or female, but will still be forced to make a decision on where it is most safe to pee. This is clearly ridiculous.
But fear not, for I have a solution! Groups like GenderPAC, The National Student Genderblind Campaign, and the Bathroom Liberation Movement have advocated the creation of "All Gender" single person, lockable restrooms which do not make people choose an artificial, socially constructed gender whenever they need to use a bathroom. This is, I believe, the best solution, as it maintains safety concerns brought to the table by second-wave feminists, who argue that mixed bathrooms contribute to sexual assault (a comment I disregard, and frankly find heterosexist in nature) as well as concerns from the third-wave Gender community that wants to maintain safe bathroom environments regardless of gender identity or expression.
These All-Gender restrooms also serve other constituencies since they are wheelchair accessible and can be used by parents with small children. Smart businesses and colleges are taking the gender-oppressing labels off their bathrooms and creating at least one All-Gender, single person lockable restroom per building.
At Muhlenberg, the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) has urged the committee looking at the Seegers renovations to include an All Gender restroom in its plans, but we can't stop there! We also need to take off the gender labels in these bathrooms campus wide, especially the single person, lockable bathrooms because there is absolutely no ethical justification for gendering them.
The ability to use the bathroom without fear of harassment is not radical; it is a basic right for people of all genders. But our minds are still too narrow to grasp the concept that gender is not real. For anyone who disagrees, try using the bathroom labeled for a gender other than your own. Do this at a peak time, so that you can get that full experience of feeling uncomfortable.
Our binary gender system allows us to pee in either the "men's room" or the "women's room" - but doesn't allow for the tiniest bit of gender fluidity among us. Take, for example, a masculine woman who enters the women's restroom. The moment she enters, she becomes victim to the game of gender oppression which tells girls to conform to an archaic model of femininity. The masculine woman in the girls' bathroom or the effeminate male in the men's room are both subject to harassment simply for their need to use the bathroom, while not conforming to societal gender roles. Even more clearly, a problem with our bathroom binary comes for our trans-identified friends who may not identify with either male or female, but will still be forced to make a decision on where it is most safe to pee. This is clearly ridiculous.
But fear not, for I have a solution! Groups like GenderPAC, The National Student Genderblind Campaign, and the Bathroom Liberation Movement have advocated the creation of "All Gender" single person, lockable restrooms which do not make people choose an artificial, socially constructed gender whenever they need to use a bathroom. This is, I believe, the best solution, as it maintains safety concerns brought to the table by second-wave feminists, who argue that mixed bathrooms contribute to sexual assault (a comment I disregard, and frankly find heterosexist in nature) as well as concerns from the third-wave Gender community that wants to maintain safe bathroom environments regardless of gender identity or expression.
These All-Gender restrooms also serve other constituencies since they are wheelchair accessible and can be used by parents with small children. Smart businesses and colleges are taking the gender-oppressing labels off their bathrooms and creating at least one All-Gender, single person lockable restroom per building.
At Muhlenberg, the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) has urged the committee looking at the Seegers renovations to include an All Gender restroom in its plans, but we can't stop there! We also need to take off the gender labels in these bathrooms campus wide, especially the single person, lockable bathrooms because there is absolutely no ethical justification for gendering them.
The ability to use the bathroom without fear of harassment is not radical; it is a basic right for people of all genders. But our minds are still too narrow to grasp the concept that gender is not real. For anyone who disagrees, try using the bathroom labeled for a gender other than your own. Do this at a peak time, so that you can get that full experience of feeling uncomfortable.