The Irony of the Transgender Bathroom Controversies

[SnowyMacie]

Every time I hear about people throwing fits about allowing transgender people to whatever bathroom they feel like using I can't help but think this "If someone is transwoman and presenting (if that's the right word) themselves as such, you would have absolutely no idea they had or have a penis. Likewise, what's to stop a pervert from dressing up like a woman and peeping and such now? It's not like males can only get into men's restrooms and vise versa. The entire thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I know some of you identify as transgender, and I would love to see how you feel about these laws. I'm curious, would you ever go into the other restroom that you weren't currently living as?

 

[FaeryChild]

The best - and safest - thing for everyone is to utilize family bathrooms that are designed for either single use and/or for a family. When the "transgender bathroom issue" is unpacked, its actually several different issues at the same time - and using family bathrooms mostly solves this problem. The truth is that pretty much everyone except the physically-fit male is vulnerable when it comes to using the public bathroom. And, of course, women want to feel safe and not threatened. And everyone wants their children to be safe as well. And, of course, trans people are vulnerable using public bathrooms and they pretty much want to do their business in peace.

Family restrooms solve the problem. This way a mom can keep her boy safe, a dad can keep his daughter safe, families can use the restroom together and in peace and trans people can use gender-neutral facilities where it is just them, thereby circumventing the issue...
Every place should install one room with urinals for men to do their thing and in addition should install 2-3 family restrooms for everyone else.

 

[scraparcs]

At my office, there is one bathroom. We all have to use it, men and women. We have this thing called a lock and we use it on the doors.

Make everyone use locked stalls, problem solved?

 

[OGM]

At my office, there is one bathroom. We all have to use it, men and women. We have this thing called a lock and we use it on the doors. Make everyone use locked stalls, problem solved?

That's right...now you have a unisex bathroom everyone can use.

 

[Cute Tink]

Every time I hear about people throwing fits about allowing transgender people to whatever bathroom they feel like using I can't help but think this "If someone is transwoman and presenting (if that's the right word) themselves as such, you would have absolutely no idea they had or have a penis. Likewise, what's to stop a pervert from dressing up like a woman and peeping and such now? It's not like males can only get into men's restrooms and vise versa. The entire thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I know some of you identify as transgender, and I would love to see how you feel about these laws.

First of all, thank you for understanding the problems with people complaining about perverts abusing the laws.

I'm curious, would you ever go into the other restroom that you weren't currently living as?

I am a trans woman and no, I wouldn't. When I was forced by outside issues to still live part time as a male I would use the restroom of the gender I was presenting as. For one, it was less confusing to the people around me. If I was dressed like a dude, it wouldn't make sense to use the women's restroom.

Since I have gone full time, since I am always dressed and presenting female, I always use the female restroom. I have had all of zero problems with random strangers.

I think the laws are comforting for me. I generally am accepted on sight as a female, so regardless of my surgical status, if I were forced to use the men's restroom, I would turn quite a few heads and probably get yelled at (or worse). If that was the case, I would probably never use a public restroom again.

 

[FireDragon76]

Transwomen have been using women's bathrooms a long time incognito, so I really think some people just aren't thinking that deeply, they are just letting their fear run things. It just seems to me it's a way for homophobic and transphobic individuals to have their voices heard (whether these are male or female voices it doesnt' matter) and to attack the character of transpeople, which is very unfortunate.

 

[AGTG]

The only real solution is to stand strong for what's right, even for the people who don't understand their lifestyle choices are destructive to themselves and the communities.

It's a fact that people living in these extreme lifestyles are dealing with a host of emotional problems that should be addressed with love and courage (including the fact that they are confused about their gender). To turn the world upside down to accommodate the very things that are hurting them is not love.

They need to know there is a hope and that Jesus can deliver them from all their afflictions, if they only go to Him sincerely, repentant, with an open heart and an open mind. These struggles they have can be turned into powerful testimonies of God's mercy, love, and power.

Really, much of this can be attributed directly to demonic influence brought about by tragic abuse and trauma in their past.

 

[Cute Tink]

I really hope I'm not overstepping my presence in this forum, but I feel it important to reply to this.

The only real solution is to stand strong for what's right, even for the people who don't understand their lifestyle choices are destructive to themselves and the communities.

It's a fact that people living in these extreme lifestyles are dealing with a host of emotional problems that should be addressed with love and courage (including the fact that they are confused about their gender). To turn the world upside down to accommodate the very things that are hurting them is not love.

I'm sorry, but calling my condition a "lifestyle" is misrepresentation. This statement is not mere opinion, but supported by current science. To downplay what transgender means is not showing understanding at all, nor love.

For the record, attempting to treat people solely through psychological care was thoroughly unsuccessful.

Really, much of this can be attributed directly to demonic influence brought about by tragic abuse and trauma in their past.

Some trans people may have experienced abuse and trauma, others, like me, have not.

I don't mean any of this to state that you cannot consider transition a sin, but you aren't earning any points by telling I'm "confused", assuming I've suffered abuse/trauma or that it's just a "lifestyle".

 

[FireDragon76]

The only real solution is to stand strong for what's right, even for the people who don't understand their lifestyle choices are destructive to themselves and the communities. .

I also don't think the Bible provides much support for your ideas- perhaps the modern western idea of a transsexual is absent from the Bible, but the Bible is relatively accepting of individuals like eunuchs, and in some cases individuals in the near east and Greco-Roman world became eunuchs for reasons we would recognize as transgender, though other times the reasons were job security (a eunuch could be trusted as a minister of a king).

In addition, this is the liberal forum... a great many people belong to churches here that have church canons or laws that protect the dignity of transsexual persons, including their gender identity.

 

[SnowyMacie]

I am a trans woman and no, I wouldn't. When I was forced by outside issues to still live part time as a male I would use the restroom of the gender I was presenting as. For one, it was less confusing to the people around me. If I was dressed like a dude, it wouldn't make sense to use the women's restroom.

Since I have gone full time, since I am always dressed and presenting female, I always use the female restroom. I have had all of zero problems with random strangers.

I think the laws are comforting for me. I generally am accepted on sight as a female, so regardless of my surgical status, if I were forced to use the men's restroom, I would turn quite a few heads and probably get yelled at (or worse). If that was the case, I would probably never use a public restroom again.

Thanks for replying. I really was curious to know what someone who it actually effects thinks about it. I don't know what happens in a women's restroom, but in men's we're focused on just getting our biological business done.

 

[Cute Tink]

Thanks for replying. I really was curious to know what someone who it actually effects thinks about it. I don't know what happens in a women's restroom, but in men's we're focused on just getting our biological business done.

Other than some conversation, that's what it's like in the women's room as well.

However, some people do question our motives.

 

[SnowyMacie]

The only real solution is to stand strong for what's right, even for the people who don't understand their lifestyle choices are destructive to themselves and the communities.

It's a fact that people living in these extreme lifestyles are dealing with a host of emotional problems that should be addressed with love and courage (including the fact that they are confused about their gender). To turn the world upside down to accommodate the very things that are hurting them is not love.

They need to know there is a hope and that Jesus can deliver them from all their afflictions, if they only go to Him sincerely, repentant, with an open heart and an open mind. These struggles they have can be turned into powerful testimonies of God's mercy, love, and power.

Really, much of this can be attributed directly to demonic influence brought about by tragic abuse and trauma in their past.

I used to know people like you, heck I even was you. I'm not transgender, but there was a time when I thought I was. I told people, people like you because that's who I knew. They said what you said "I was confused." I wasn't confused, I was wrong...mainly because I didn't know the word for what I was , but I knew and still know that while I have the physical body of a man I don't necessarily think like one. I've known I was different since I was 12, but childhood memories and even videos show it goes back to toddler hood.

Unlike, Tink, I have gone through emotional trauma, but it was entirely unrelated to this. Whenever people told me my depression was because of demonic influence, I got worse. Emotional support, antidepressants, Cognitive therapy, prayers of healing worked...prayers of deliverance from demonic influence made it worse. In fact, I really still haven't moved past being told I was under demonic influence, it prolonged my therapy and actually gave me anxiety problems.

The "church" has had a much more destructive influence on my life than any of my LGBT/ally friends. I've been insulted, degraded, ostracized by many Christians who did so in the name of Jesus' love. I believe they honestly thought they were doing so, they didn't know anything else. I fully believe they believed they were doing what the thought was the right thing, and I can't hate them for doing so. Do you you know who helped me work through that? My gay Christian friends. So, I don't think you hate gays, I don't believe homophobia is always rooted in hatred, because I have been what would be considered a homophobic. I'm not saying it's wrong or incorrect to believe those things, but to merely be mindful of what you say, you don't know how it's going to impact someone else. I'll never forget in 12th grade whenever I asked my counselor to change my speech class so I wouldn't have a gay teacher, who understood but wasn't happy and still gave me the choice of staying in my comfortable bubble or facing reality. I stayed, and I have no doubt in my mind that was the right choice because it's caused me to be blessed

 

[StephanieSomer]

Every time I hear about people throwing fits about allowing transgender people to whatever bathroom they feel like using I can't help but think this "If someone is transwoman and presenting (if that's the right word) themselves as such, you would have absolutely no idea they had or have a penis. Likewise, what's to stop a pervert from dressing up like a woman and peeping and such now? It's not like males can only get into men's restrooms and vise versa. The entire thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I know some of you identify as transgender, and I would love to see how you feel about these laws. I'm curious, would you ever go into the other restroom that you weren't currently living as?

I am a transwoman, and I'd be terrified to use a men's room. If there was absolutely no other choice, I'd go outside and take my chances in the bushes.

 

[StephanieSomer]

The only real solution is to stand strong for what's right, even for the people who don't understand their lifestyle choices are destructive to themselves and the communities.

It's a fact that people living in these extreme lifestyles are dealing with a host of emotional problems that should be addressed with love and courage (including the fact that they are confused about their gender). To turn the world upside down to accommodate the very things that are hurting them is not love.

They need to know there is a hope and that Jesus can deliver them from all their afflictions, if they only go to Him sincerely, repentant, with an open heart and an open mind. These struggles they have can be turned into powerful testimonies of God's mercy, love, and power.

Really, much of this can be attributed directly to demonic influence brought about by tragic abuse and trauma in their past.

I see a lot of assertions being made here, with nothing to support them. I recognize your right to your opinion. But, characterizing the positions of those who differ from you as confused, abused, traumatized, or demon influenced is demeaning, cruel, and absolutely misinformed, not to mention just plain wrong, at least in my own case. Especially since there is quite a large amount of data to contradict you. And that's just the scientific side of it.
Were you there over the last 5 decades as I agonized, fasted, cried, and prayed for God to take this from me? Were you there advising me to NOT commit suicide to gain release from it? Were you there while I struggled for over 30 years to provide for my family, bearing a burden that you haven't the slightest notion of what it consists of, or how it feels? Were you there during the years of deep, prayerful study to prove that it was wrong for me to transition, as I once believed, just as you do. Probably not. Spouting a bunch of words based solely on your own disgust rather than what the Word of God teaches and then going about your business as if you've done your chores doesn't say a whole lot about your attitude, does it? I know I am coming across as bitter. Believe me, I really am not. I just want you to take very seriously what you are saying and have the intestinal fortitude to research this a bit more fully before making assertions. I once believed transition was wrong, just as you do. I found differently, first in Scripture, then in science. I spent over 5 years studying in the Scripture to reach that conclusion, and a little over a year in the sciences. If I can be of any assistance in that direction I'd be more than happy to provide you with what I've found.

 

[StephanieSomer]

I don't know what happens in a women's restroom, but in men's we're focused on just getting our biological business done.

There's nothing different in the ladies room.

 

[StephanieSomer]

Why is it that most every opinion I read where someone is speaking against transsexuals that they just about always say something of the horror of finding a transsexual in the women's room?

What many people don't realize is that there are almost as many transmen out there as there are transwomen. Yet, I've never once heard anyone complain about a transsexual in the men's room.

I happen to know a few. And, yes, they DO use the guy's bathroom.

Maybe some sexist discrimination going on or something?

 

[justhere1]

Why is it that most every opinion I read where someone is speaking against transsexuals that they just about always say something of the horror of finding a transsexual in the women's room?

What many people don't realize is that there are almost as many transmen out there as there are transwomen. Yet, I've never once heard anyone complain about a transsexual in the men's room.

I happen to know a few. And, yes, they DO use the guy's bathroom.

Maybe some sexist discrimination going on or something?

I have always wondered about that too. I'm not sure if many women would appreciate the presence of a full-beared transman in the ladies room.

 

[NannaNae]

Every time I hear about people throwing fits about allowing transgender people to whatever bathroom they feel like using I can't help but think this "If someone is transwoman and presenting (if that's the right word) themselves as such, you would have absolutely no idea they had or have a penis. Likewise, what's to stop a pervert from dressing up like a woman and peeping and such now? It's not like males can only get into men's restrooms and vise versa. The entire thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I know some of you identify as transgender, and I would love to see how you feel about these laws. I'm curious, would you ever go into the other restroom that you weren't currently living as?

don't go to a city where that stuff is an issue.

 

[Teilhard]

*hunts through the Bible to find the verse mandating single-sex restrooms*

"It's in here someplace! I read it on CF!"

 

[Hetta]

I once worked in a large organization where a transwoman came as a temp. Some of the other girls were absolutely horrible and stupid, and drove her out within a couple of weeks. Obviously that was long before these current laws. It never bothered me that she used the women's bathroom. What was she going to do? Break down the door and rape me? Peep at me over the stall? Steal my hairbrush? It was one of the first times I ever really thought about it, and it was one of the experiences that made me determined to never behave in such a cruel way myself, and to make sure that my kids knew not to behave like that.