Gender neutral bathrooms may be the way of the future.
Unisex bathrooms made news this week when voters shot down the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which would have offered basic protections for the LGBTQ community. One of the most pertinant issues opponents of the ordinace named was unisex bathrooms and the potential dangers to women.
Deeply intertwined in the issue of unisex bathrooms is transgender people and their comfort. While many worry that opening up bathrooms to all genders may create an issue, others point out that transgender women are the ones that face the most danger when forced to use men bathrooms.
Presidential candidate Ben Carson recently spoke on the issue, suggesting transgender people have their own bathrooms. He even added, “It is not fair for them to make everybody else uncomfortable. It’s one of the things that I don’t particularly like about the movement.”
The Obama administration also weighed in on the topic, not only offering gender-neutral restrooms for the comfort of employees and visitors, but releasing a statement that suggests preventing people from using the bathroom for the gender that they identify with may be a violation of federal law.
Unisex and transgender friendly restrooms seem to be a hot button topic, garnering polarizing views.
How do you feel? Are you comfortable sharing bathrooms with the opposite sex? How about transgender women? Let us know your thoughts below.
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