Comments on: Transgender debate back in the news

By: Charles Sands

Charles Sands — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:27:39 +0000

I don’t think that letting transgendered people using the washroom which represents their sexual gender is opening the door for perverts to enter the scene. I mean, what do you think transgendered people have a trail of perverts following them around? Or are you saying that transgendered people themselves are perverts. I don’t think that one has anything to do with the other. However, I do understand that a biological female in womens shower might feel uncomfortable with a pre op transexual. So to put it in a nutshell, a washroom for transgendered people is not a necessity, however a shower for transgendered people would not be a bad idea.

By: Douglas Monroe

Douglas Monroe — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:41:19 +0000

While I understand that fear of “perverts” and molesters is very prevalent in our society, I think that it is a weak basis for opposing the ordinance. We should not, in my view, use the fear of one category of person to jusitfy discrimination against another…for example, I wouldn’t want to argue that fear of “terrorists” jusitfies discrimination against Muslims or other people of Arabic descent.
Another thought that intrigues me: the intersection of public/private spaces with public/private behaviors. I think the debate over the ordinance underscores the friction between these concepts. For instance, going to the bathroom is generally regarded as a private behavior, but if you go into a public restroom…you are entering a “public” space. How do we negotiate private behaviors in public spaces???

By: Keri

Keri — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:17:09 +0000

I do not have an extensive thought on this matter. But, being a women I would feel opening that can of worms to basically allow WHOMEVER to which WHICHEVER restroom they wanted would allow for possible perverts to enter the scene. I am fine with a biological male who dresses like a woman because he WANTS to, to use the women’s restroom because he feels that is who he is and vice versa. However, it’s when people cross the line and sexual predators enter the scene that things start to get a little out of control.

By: Douglas Monroe

Douglas Monroe — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:06:16 +0000

I find this debate interesting because it raises some important questions about the differences between “sex” and “gender” as mediating forces in social processes as well as public policy. Gender, as an aspect of an individual’s social identity, is subject to negotiation. Sex, the presence or absence of a Y chromosone (having a penis or a vagina)is somewhat less pliable. Does it make sense to use either one of these categories of difference as a basis for segregation? We could have have seperate bathrooms for homosexual men and straight men…That might appeal to some of the opponents of this proposed ordinance. But then what to do with everyone who is bisexual? In what way is this debate different from the debate over the “seperate but equal” doctrine used to justify discrimination on the basis of “race”?