Discussion » Questions » Life and Society » What's your opinion about trans-gender access to school "bathrooms"?
Benedict Arnold

What's your opinion about trans-gender access to school "bathrooms"?

President Trump is about to lift President Obama's directive that children should be allowed to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender. (See the link here.)
Forgetting it is Trump's decision (probably any GOP president would have taken the same action) what do YOU think about it? What are the pros and cons?

Posted - February 22, 2017
Tags : None

Responses


  • 7792
    Sometimes it comes down to just wanting to go to the friggen bathroom without making an issue out of it. I soooooooooooo don't care about this. Do what you have to do without making people feel like s**t. This post was edited by Zack at February 22, 2017 6:35 PM MST
      February 22, 2017 5:44 PM MST
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  • Many people do, Zack.

    Even so, I remember this one time...
    but I don't want to be banned >:-(
      February 22, 2017 5:46 PM MST
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  • 7792
    I'm here because I know there are opinions that differ from mine and I can handle that. You are pretty cool handling that too.
      February 22, 2017 5:49 PM MST
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  • On this subject I should be cool. I have a daughter who used to be a son. So I'm sympathetic. But I remember last time this was mooted (on another site when, I think, Walmart declared their toilets would welcome transgender customers) many women objected strongly. Now that Trump is in process of rescinding the standing directive, I imagine there will be tons of controversy. 
      February 22, 2017 5:54 PM MST
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  • I totally agree with Zack! Nuff said!
      February 22, 2017 5:46 PM MST
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  • 6023

    It should be based on outward gender ... UNLESS you have a note from a psychiatrist.

    Otherwise, anybody can CLAIM they are "transgender" - but in reality, less than 1% of the population is.

      February 22, 2017 5:51 PM MST
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  • Good point!
      February 22, 2017 5:51 PM MST
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  • A pre-operative male to female entering a men's lavatory would cause a riot. A female to male entering a women's facility would probably be arrested. It's a dilemma.
      February 22, 2017 5:56 PM MST
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  • 6023
    There shouldn't be any one under the age of 18 going through pre-op.  Gender changes and plastic surgery should be limited to adults.  So it should be a moot point for schools.
      February 22, 2017 6:55 PM MST
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  • I had considered asking a separate question about that. How can any child come to the conclusion that they are born into the wrong gender unless they've been spending too much time on the Internet listening to the opinions of too many ill-informed people? This is a very rare condition but is taking on epidemic proportions since we entered the Internet age. 

    No child should be able to make such an irreversible step based on teenage hormones and confusion.
      February 22, 2017 8:13 PM MST
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  • I've wondered about that too.  I read about parents saying their 7 year old son is transgender and I can't help thinking that the parents may have contributed to this as an attention getter. Children that age often like to dress up in mummy/daddy's clothes and parents shouldn't leap to the transgender idea or cater to this.  If as the child becomes an adult then they will know for sure but a child or teenager does not have the maturity to understand this.
      February 22, 2017 9:57 PM MST
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  • That's appalling. Makes you wonder if they've got anything between their ears.
      February 22, 2017 10:11 PM MST
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  • Just go pee! Why does everything have to be so dramatic these days? If you have a stick n balls go here.....if not, go here.....why does it have to be more difficult than that? I got no time.
      February 22, 2017 5:52 PM MST
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  • Hi Angela. Shouldn't be a problem. Is. Your attitude is refreshing. 

    I remember an interview with a champion female hang glider pilot. On long distance flights she could be in the air for hours with no possibility of landing (without forfeiting the the competition). She said, "It's OK for the men. They just unzip their harness and pee when they want to; I have to wear a nappy." (A diaper.)
      February 22, 2017 6:06 PM MST
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  • 83
    The way I see it is that there are no pros to lifting the directive. Those who are against letting people choose their own bathroom are against it because they are either a.) intolerant of transgenders, b.) afraid of rape or sexual assault, or c.) both. People who fall into categories a.) or c.) are douchebags. As for b.), I'd say that sexual assault is equally likely regardless of this directive since homosexuals already use the bathroom of their choice.
      February 22, 2017 5:52 PM MST
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  • You left out modesty, inhibition, and plain shyness. When men use a urinal we line up like crows on a fence. To most women that would be unthinkable: they prefer the privacy of a cubicle.

    On the other hand I once did a workshop at a university where all the toilets were unisex. Nobody had any trouble at all. 
      February 22, 2017 5:58 PM MST
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  • 83
    Do most men use urinals? How about people just use either bathroom based on whether they want urinals in there, or care about them being in there? Problem solved.
      February 22, 2017 6:05 PM MST
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  • If you're suggesting that we replace urinals with cubicles it would be very unpopular. That would make men's facilities as slow to use as women's. At the unisex toilets I used there were no urinals but I was there for an off-peak weekend and we didn't have a lot of people, and no queues. 
      February 22, 2017 6:08 PM MST
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  • 83
    Aren't there cubicles in both? We wouldn't remove urinals. All I'm saying is that if someone is okay with urinals, go in there. If not, go into the ladies room. No need for people to be making a fuss over the proper latrine facility.
      February 22, 2017 6:12 PM MST
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  • I think lots of people, of both genders, would take some time for that to become acceptable. To be honest it wouldn't worry me, or most of the men I know, but others might find themselves suffering an attack of BBS (that's bashful bladder syndrome). 
      February 22, 2017 6:21 PM MST
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  • I hope it didn't take us too long to learn to go out of the cave first. :D

    Another thoughtful answer, WW. I think this is a situation that would disturb women more than men. 
      February 22, 2017 6:01 PM MST
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  • 83
    Poetic.
      February 22, 2017 6:09 PM MST
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  • I think the Victorians have a lot to answer for .... We all walk around pretending ... As soon as the whole sex thing is dragged kicking and screaming into the light so it can better and due the better well all be ...
      February 22, 2017 6:02 PM MST
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  • I love the way you think, Ozgirl. 
      February 22, 2017 6:08 PM MST
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