Gender neutral bathrooms are places that people can use despite the gender or gender identity differences. Such facilities are very useful for the transgender people, people who need to accompany kids, caregivers with patients with disabilities. Gender neutral bathroom is a creative idea that can divide people from the gender conforming and gender non-conforming groups, in addition, it can serve as a place for both men and woman visiting. The main aim of such bathrooms is to give the opportunity for parents to accompany kids and for caregivers to accompany patients, however, things are totally different with transgender people. The main aim for the creation of a bathroom for transgender people is the possibility to feel safe attending it without the danger of being beaten or discriminated. In truth, there are many cases of the violence on the basis of race, religion or gender expression. Nonetheless, other questions arise: whether the people with disabilities feel good to share the same bathroom with transgender people and whether transgender people feel safe using it (woman and man). Another problem of such implementation is that it brings us the question regarding woman’s safety in the bathroom using it together with man. Personally, I consider this idea as a revolutionary but also the one that requires improvement in different areas: people with disabilities and people who accompany kids may be easily divided from the transgender people (they might not gender conforming people), transgender people should provide own estimation of the proposed idea and conclude whether it is possible for both man and woman use these places.
Should they be available everywhere? For instance, schools (of all ages), airports, restaurants, etc.
I think that gender neutral bathrooms should be available in the public places for adult people, whose identity has already been formed and who consider themselves as women, men or non-gender person. Nonetheless, I hold a strong view that neutral gender bathrooms should not be allowed in schools. During the early years up to the late teens the person’s identity is being formed. Giving a child a question whether he or she is a woman, men or none of them would basically make it difficult for the child to understand the nature of things in this world. I think that parents and teachers should rather maintain the development of the classical girl’s or boy’s identity than mix these identities into one and provide transgender bathrooms from the early age. During the teens, children are quiet violent, harsh and minimalistic. The creation of such bathrooms from the early age would rather exaggerate the difference between children and separate these groups from one another than bring them together.
What difference would they make to society?
Gender neutral bathrooms would acknowledge people of different genders with a range of gender identities, make people more patient and tolerant. In addition, it would allow mothers or fathers with kids to enter the bathroom without a doubt, make it easier for a caregiver to accompany people with disabilities. According to Steinmetz (N.p.) bathroom is a basic necessity that should be available for each citizen without any danger for the life or issue of discrimination. In this regard, the implementation of neutral gender bathrooms would serve the base needs of a variety of people in the country. To my mind, transgender bathrooms should be built and people in the society should adjust to the fact that there are different social and gender groups. Open discussion about the gender neutral bathrooms along with its establishment would help to open people eyes to the fact that identities vary. Nonetheless, I think that creation of neutral gender bathrooms does not solve the problem of violence and discrimination among people. Providing such facilities may also increase the assaults towards transgender people. Eradication of violence and discrimination lies in the cultural development and raise of the generation. All in all, transgender bathrooms should be established and developed in order to meet the needs of all social groups.
Work cited page:
Steinmetz, Katy. “The Gender-Neutral Bathroom Revolution Is Growing”. Time.org. Time. Jan. 11, 2016. Web. Mar. 3, 2016. <http://time.com/4175774/san-francisco-gender-neutral-bathrooms/>
