# Calculating what it costs NC every time a trans person uses a public bathroom **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 26, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099 "2017-03-26T21:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/1 "2017-03-26T21:45:27Z")
So this says there are an estimated 37,000 trans persons in NC affected by the law. [Here’s How Many Transgender People Are Affected by North Carolina’s Bathroom Law](http://time.com/4325181/north-carolina-bathroom-transgender-population/) This says NC has lost 630,000,000 dollars because of this law. [North Carolina’s Bathroom Bill Flushes Away $630 Million In Lost Business](https://www.forbes.com/sites/corinnejurney/2016/11/03/north-carolinas-bathroom-bill-flushes-away-750-million-in-lost-business/#76b6f4394b59) Assuming (conservatively) the average person uses a public bathroom of some kind about 5 times a day (away from home) > [@](#): > > [What is normal urinary frequency?](https://www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org/bladder/bladder-conditions-and-symptoms/frequency/) - As with many things in life, everyone is different. This also applies to normal urinary frequency. For most people, normal frequency is about 6 – 7 times in a 24 hour period, yet between 4 and 10 times a day can also be normal if that person is healthy and happy with the number of times they visit the toilet. the number of bathroom uses is 37,000 x 5 x 365 = 67,525,000 trans person uses per year . 630,000,000 / 67,525,000 = $ 9.32 per use in lost money. Bigotry does have a price. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/2 "2017-03-26T22:53:17Z")
It’s higher than that; transgender people tend to avoid using public restrooms in the first place for fear of being persecuted. I’d be surprised if they used one as often as five times a week, let alone per day. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/3 "2017-03-27T00:57:09Z")
More realistic figures. Of 37,000 trans people, 90% use an unregulated private bathroom (at home or workplace) nearly all the time, so only 3,700 use public restrooms regularly, and those only half the time, say twice a day five days a week, or 3700 x 2 x 250 = 1,850,000. Round it up to two million for the casual users a few times. Closer to $315 a time. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/4 "2017-03-27T01:28:58Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > More realistic figures. Of 37,000 trans people, 90% use an unregulated private bathroom (at home or workplace) nearly all the time, so only 3,700 use public restrooms regularly, and those only half the time, say twice a day five days a week, or 3700 x 2 x 250 = 1,850,000. Round it up to two million for the casual users a few times. Closer to $315 a time. Yes I see your point in looking at the law “public restrooms” are defined as being those in government buildings not just non residential bathrooms accessible to the public. This would be a tiny fraction of the general non residential use. > **[Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Facilities_Privacy_%26_Security_Act)** > > The Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, commonly known as House Bill 2 or HB2, was a North Carolina statute passed in March 2016 and signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory. The bill amended state law to preempt any anti-discrimination ordinances passed by local communities and, controversially, compelled schools and state and local government facilities containing single-gender bathrooms to only allow people of the corresponding sex as listed on their birth certificate to use them; it al... Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/5 "2017-03-27T05:12:32Z")
I completely forgot about this NC law, when I rooted for the Tarheels today. If I had it to do over again, Id have rooted for the Wildcats. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/6 "2017-03-27T15:58:58Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I completely forgot about this NC law, when I rooted for the Tarheels today. If I had it to do over again, Id have rooted for the Wildcats. But neither they nor Duke got to play any of the tournament games in their home state since the NCAA won’t hold those games here due to the law. That’s some serious money right there (and both coaches have publicly come out and said the law needs to be flushed, which carries some weight here too). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/7 "2017-03-27T16:27:31Z")
When often fly Pittsburgh to Charlotte to (final destination). We used to spend money in the Charlotte airport, but thanks to the law we no longer spend a penny there. Honestly, I can do without $12 Bloody Marys. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/8 "2017-03-27T19:04:52Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Assuming (conservatively) the average person uses a public bathroom of some kind about 5 times a day (away from home) That is \*one hell \*of an assumption! Who came up with these numbers? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/9 "2017-03-27T20:01:21Z")
[The AP says the cost is closer to $3.76 billion](https://www.apnews.com/fa4528580f3e4a01bb68bcb272f1f0f8). Yikes. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/10 "2017-03-27T20:27:49Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > That is \*one hell \*of an assumption! Who came up with these numbers? 😕 Good point; I can’t remember the last time I used a public restroom. Kids in school might have more cause to use them, though… ---
**Author:** ![chaika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chaika/32/405_2.png) [@chaika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaika)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/11 "2017-03-28T12:50:31Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > When often fly Pittsburgh to Charlotte to (final destination). We used to spend money in the Charlotte airport, but thanks to the law we no longer spend a penny there. Honestly, I can do without $12 Bloody Marys. I’m sure there’s a joke to be found about “spending a penny” and the subject of the thread but I can’t quite get there. 😉 Not to make light of the issue, of course. Your post was a good reminder about the Charlotte airport, as I often fly through there too. I will also make it a point not to spend money there. If NC takes a hit to the pocketbook, maybe this asinine law will be repealed (though I hope it is struck down on constitutional grounds). ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/12 "2017-03-28T19:56:26Z")
What’s the cost of hiring the bathroom monitors who check everyone’s birth certificate? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/13 "2017-03-28T20:24:26Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > What’s the cost of hiring the bathroom monitors who check everyone’s birth certificate? You skipped a couple steps… ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/14 "2017-03-28T20:32:02Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Good point; I can’t remember the last time I used a public restroom. Kids in school might have more cause to use them, though… i think theyre including the bathroom at work or school or whever you spend most of your day thats not home. mc ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/15 "2017-03-28T20:38:09Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > You skipped a couple steps… You’ll have to enlighten me. I’m a west coaster who’s not up-to-date on all the latest NC jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/16 "2017-03-28T20:44:25Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > You’ll have to enlighten me. I’m a west coaster who’s not up-to-date on all the latest NC jokes. Well, first, you need to make sure every single person in the state of NC, including visitors and people just passing through on plane flights, carries a copy of their birth certificate with them at all times… ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/17 "2017-03-28T23:28:46Z")
You are all missing the point. Transpersons using bathrooms is a minor part of it but that gets all the publicity because of the meme’d common title. There is no NC law preventing harassment of or gender-based discrimination against ANY LGBTQ person. That’s why many big inclusive businesses, sports organizations, etc. are boycotting the state. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/18 "2017-03-29T15:02:10Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > You are all missing the point. Transpersons using bathrooms is a minor part of it but that gets all the publicity because of the meme’d common title. There is no NC law preventing harassment of or gender-based discrimination against ANY LGBTQ person. That’s why many big inclusive businesses, sports organizations, etc. are boycotting the state. I think it is worse than that. I believe the law was passed to reverse a local antidiscrimination ordinance passed in some NC city (Charlotte?). So such ordinances are now banned. This reminds me that some years ago, a town in Texas refused to allow Apple to build a factory there because Apple gave benefits for same-sex partners. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/19 "2017-03-29T15:41:07Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I think it is worse than that. I believe the law was passed to reverse a local antidiscrimination ordinance passed in some NC city (Charlotte?). So such ordinances are now banned. Yes. This is the actual problem. The bathroom thing is just added noise. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099/20 "2017-03-29T15:55:07Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > (and both coaches have publicly come out and said the law needs to be flushed, which carries some weight here too). ISWYDT, & it’s, ummm…shitty. d & r [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-what-it-costs-nc-every-time-a-trans-person-uses-a-public-bathroom/783099.md?page=2)