Transgender Bathroom Use

Prior to writing this blog, I knew little about the transgender population in the United States. It’s recognition in the United States social hemisphere has brought it to the attention of Americans all over the country. Some claim that it’s relevance is unnecessary due to how minimal populations of transgender citizens there are. According to livescience.com, there are 700,000 transgenders in the US, accounting for only .2-.3% of the populations entirety. While I, to an extent, question why so much attention is being given to such a small percentage of the population while we have so many other social obstacles to overcome and focus on, I also cannot help but recall a quote that states “The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens” (Jimmy Carter Jr.). So this validates the relevance of this topic and while we have other obstacles to overcome, because it is so heavily discussed and debated, I will address it.

A question that has been posed, in regards to the transgender population, is whether or not they should be allowed to use any bathroom they would like whenever they would like to. Public places such as Target have openly addressed concerns by stating that their policy will allow any gender to use any gendered bathroom they prefer to make sure transgender customers are comfortable while shopping at their stores.

While many have attended to the store’s new policy by boycotting it due to the fact that they fear for the safety of themselves, their wives, their daughters, their friends and their sisters, I believe that this is a small point to make. The point does not take into consideration the people who the policy change was concerned for and makes the false accusation that transgender women will pose threat to a normal woman using the restroom. Realistically, transgender women using the bathroom are doing just that; they are just using the bathroom. I could not imagine that they would want to pose harm on anyone around them more than they just want to use the bathroom and be comfortable with their self-identification in peace. The point does address a valid concern that men will be able to use the women’s bathroom and who is to say they cannot? If confronted, who is to say that they are not transgender? Posing a whole other problem. Target has taken a toll from the boycott and the effects are so deep that they are putting 20 million dollars into single stall bathrooms in stores nation-wide.

While I personally believe that it truly does not matter what bathroom someone uses, I do believe that the media so heavily covering the topic has turned it into an issue much bigger than it needed to be. I also believe, contrary to popular belief, that this is a slippery slope to moral decay. With room for opinion and disagreement, I conclude this entry.