# Puzzled by transgender bathroom laws. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 17, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498 "2016-04-17T20:00:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/81 "2016-04-18T19:01:52Z")
This thread is so fucking weird. I have tried to post a response like six times and just don’t know what to say. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/82 "2016-04-18T19:12:07Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > This thread is so fucking weird. I have tried to post a response like six times and just don’t know what to say. The only thought that keeps coming back to me is “someone needs to resurrect the aceplace pit thread.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/83 "2016-04-18T19:13:29Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Dude, I know you’re known as one of the top morons of the SDMB, but this post of your really takes it up a notch. This is a formal warning. Do not insult other posters outside of The Pit. That goes for everyone else too. If you can not reply to **aceplace57** without insults then open a Pit thread. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/84 "2016-04-18T19:22:22Z")
1. If you’re using a bathroom as a change room, it’s all on you if someone sees your tightly whities. One assumes if you’re changing in a bathroom you’re wearing undies. No one will be traumatized by seeing your undies. 2. Ditto anyone who uses a public washroom and fails to close the stall door. The obvious solution is…close the damn door! 3. (So is the wife a delicate flower who may swoon should she find out there’s actually a penis under that ladies skirt? Or does she pee with the stall door open, in a public bathroom, and not give a shit who sees? It seems unlikely she would be both!) 4. If you’re not going to enforce this, what’s the point exactly? If you are, how do you propose that be done? By whom! When? 5. Let’s throw another question out there for you, how do you want your 12yr old daughter to react when a man with a beard comes into the washroom she’s in? (Y’all mandated him there, she should assume he’s packing a vagina, regardless of the beard, and just be cool, right?) 1. How do you want, the woman at the kiosk in the mall, to react when she sees a bearded man follow your 12yr old daughter into the washroom? Y’all mandated him there, she should assume he’s trans and not give it another thought. Right?) Why are these questions too challenging for you to respond to? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/85 "2016-04-18T19:41:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Yes I know women sit down to pee. :rolleyes: So what. Its still a 30 second body function. My wife usually doesn’t bother closing the door at home for that. Maybe she does at public restroom. I’ve never asked. > > Maybe we can solve the mystery of why women go to the restroom in pairs too. Never fails if you’re with a group at a restaurant. They usually leave in pairs or even 3 ladies head for the restroom. I think Snopes did an article it. Because we don’t want to expose ourselves to the entire world? Sitting down to pee involves a lot more than just zipping down your fly. And for fuck’s sake, she’s your WIFE, not some stranger. Jesus Christ. There’s a world of difference between leaving the bathroom door open at home and leaving it open in a public restroom. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/86 "2016-04-18T19:46:46Z")
Well the secret is out. Guys don’t know what women do in the restroom. At least this guy didn’t. Never asked and I never particularly cared. It’s none of my damn business. please carry on with the thread. Everyone has made it abundantly clear there’s no nudity in a restroom except behind a stall door. That hasn’t been my lifetime’s experience but whatever… This has to be the weirdest discussion yet on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/87 "2016-04-18T19:47:22Z")
Also, annoyingly, not every woman goes into the bathroom with a group. I always go alone and find it weird when the other woman at the table chimes in with “I’ll go too!” It’s not a social event for me. Stop making us out to be some kind of goddamn monolithic entity. We’re humans, we have diverse thoughts and experiences. All of this is just another way to dehumanize us. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/88 "2016-04-18T19:51:10Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Well the secret is out. Guys don’t know what women do in the restroom. At least this guy didn’t. Never asked and I never particularly cared. It’s none of my damn business. For someone who never cared, you sure seemed to have very clear and extremely wrong ideas on the subject, not just of what goes on in women’s bathrooms, but also in many men’s. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/89 "2016-04-18T20:04:22Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > For someone who never cared, you sure seemed to have very clear and extremely wrong ideas on the subject, not just of what goes on in women’s bathrooms, but also in many men’s. And firm that not doing it his way is not the right way: “I had no idea women were so shy. Closing themselves up in a stall for a quick pee. But if you say so then I’ll take your word for it.” ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/90 "2016-04-18T20:13:54Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > . . . And what are the ladies to do exactly? Are you expecting them to police this? . . . The whole idea is 100% unworkable. The women can’t police this. . . . Are you under the impression that we’re not currently policing actual pervs? > [@aceplace57](#): > > . . . Maybe we can solve the mystery of why women go to the restroom in pairs too. . . . . Safety in numbers. Goes with the policing. Not that you have to think of that once it’s established as the way things are always done. > [@aceplace57](#): > > Yes I know women sit down to pee. :rolleyes: So what. Its still a 30 second body function. . . . . Probably more than a minute. Substantially more under some circumstances. Two words. Panty. Hose. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/91 "2016-04-18T20:30:53Z")
I’m envisioning a protest involving something like [malicious compliance,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malicious_compliance) in which a large group of transgendered men, all carrying proper ID including their birth certificates, make it a point to (en masse) use the women’s bathrooms in public places. Any security personnel in the area have a dilemma on their hands: if they prevent these men from using the women’s bathroom, they may create the basis for a gender discrimination civil suit, but if they don’t, cis-gendered women who are in the bathroom when these men walk in will likely have a hissy fit that makes the local news. If this happens enough, maybe people will rethink the law. For women who arrive to see a line of men waiting for the women’s bathroom and ask “WTF,” the last guy in line can hand out preprinted flyers explaining all and providing contact info for state leglislators. Operating as a group would provide for a little more safety than going solo; staging the event in a place where there is likely to be a strong security contingent (e.g. a sporting event, or the state capitol building) would also help. ---
**Author:** ![Totenfeier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/92 "2016-04-18T20:40:26Z")
Posting from NC, the hot center of the con-TROV-ersy: Nary a ONE uv ya’ll GETS it, as far as ah can see. It’s real, REAL EASY. MEN are MEN. They go in the MEN’S room. WIMMIN are WIMMIN. They go in the WIMMIN’S room. Anybody else has a MENTAL PROBLEM,\*\*\* AND\*\*\* needs to git rite with GAWD, mighty QUICK!!! …Any questions? 😕:smack::mad::dubious::D:rolleyes::(:(☹ ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/93 "2016-04-18T20:41:30Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Well the secret is out. Guys don’t know what women do in the restroom. At least this guy didn’t. Never asked and I never particularly cared. It’s none of my damn business. > > please carry on with the thread. Everyone has made it abundantly clear there’s no nudity in a restroom except behind a stall door. That hasn’t been my lifetime’s experience but whatever… This has to be the weirdest discussion yet on this board. Well, no. Most guys do know what goes on in the women’s restroom, since they have told us here. How you could possibly think nudity in a public restroom is commonplace is absolutely mind boggling to me. The only way this even makes sense is if you are considering lockers rooms too. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/94 "2016-04-18T20:44:36Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > This is a formal warning. Do not insult other posters outside of The Pit. > > That goes for everyone else too. If you can not reply to **aceplace57** without insults then open a Pit thread. Understood, and I have re-opened the **Aceplace** pit thread. Back to the OP’s question, I think in most cases the people in favor of these laws just don’t realize transmen actually exist. In their minds, a transgender person equals a burly man wearing a dress plain and simple (as has been said in a certain post in this thread.) It’s much easier for transmen to pass, so they don’t appear on these people’s radars. I really would like to see one of them answer the question of what to do in a case of someone like Buck Angel. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/95 "2016-04-18T20:56:08Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Well the secret is out. Guys don’t know what women do in the restroom. At least this guy didn’t. Never asked and I never particularly cared. It’s none of my damn business. I’m wondering what kind of men’s bathrooms you’re visiting that have nudity as commonplace occurance, unless it’s a gym bathroom. Other than gyms (where people shower and change clothes), I have never seen actually seen anyone go nude in a bathroom. This is an actual question, what is the business around the bathrooms where you see nudity routinely? ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/96 "2016-04-18T20:57:43Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > It’s much easier for transmen to pass, so they don’t appear on these people’s radars Sometimes cis women can’t even pass - a number of women who choose a butch or androgynous look (or even just short hair) have reported ‘you don’t belong here’ bathroom issues. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/97 "2016-04-18T21:09:58Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Does anybody want their 8 year old daughter to see some dude in a dress schlong? > > If some guy wants to call himself a woman fine. I could care less. Dress up all you want. I got no problem with it. But at least have the decency to go to the men’s restroom. Doesn’t the law _require_ post-op trans men to use the women’s bathroom? But you also seem to be saying you don’t want anyone with a penis to use a women’s bathroom. Which is it? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/98 "2016-04-18T21:13:30Z")
> [@Totenfeier](#): > > Posting from NC, the hot center of the con-TROV-ersy: > > Nary a ONE uv ya’ll GETS it, as far as ah can see. > > It’s real, REAL EASY. > MEN are MEN. They go in the MEN’S room. > > WIMMIN are WIMMIN. They go in the WIMMIN’S room. > > Anybody else has a MENTAL PROBLEM,\*\*\* AND\*\*\* needs to git rite with GAWD, mighty QUICK!!! > > …Any questions? 😕:smack::mad::dubious::D:rolleyes::(:(☹ I was expecting a rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![Totenfeier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/99 "2016-04-18T21:21:27Z")
Too tired. :o ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498/100 "2016-04-18T21:57:17Z")
I love you guys here. As the father of a MTF transgendered teenager currently making the transition I’m very pleased to read the support MOST of you are providing. It’s pretty much a non-issue in Canada, as far as I know. Here’s a [CBC article](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/universal-washrooms-with-no-gender-designation-coming-to-more-ottawa-schools-1.3190503) from last summer on universal washrooms schools in Ottawa. I personally have met the nice lady in the picture, and I also met her wife, when she was her husband. I don’t know a single person or politician in Canada who doesn’t fully support people using the washroom of the identity they are presenting. Thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzled-by-transgender-bathroom-laws/752498.md?page=6)