How long before we can do away with gender specific spaces?

36% Normal

Didn't really want to bother with a poll because I don't think that way of looking at this issue is served well by that sort of approach.

So then, while there are "family" restrooms sprouting up more often, they are still intended to segregate one group of people from another. In most cases, however, there are male and female restrooms, and male and female locker rooms, and probably other gender divided spaces that I'm not thinking of as well.

I do not understand why these exist. If you can make a coherent argument for keeping these I'd be interested in seeing it.

So, why are these spaces separate? Is it so that men won't see women in a state of undress or vulnerability? It seems to be assumed that women aren't any sort of threat to men, but that's just another example of the bizarre double standard we're dealing with.

Where I work we have a workout room, and thus locker rooms for changing and showering. If the division is there so that I will not see women in less than their workout outfits or street clothes, then what about homosexuals? They are seeing the people they are sexually attracted to in those various states. Are they somehow not as dangerous as heterosexuals? I know there are a good number of homosexual men and women where I work and they are essentially "getting away" with what hetero's can not do.

As a side note let's consider the transgendered. Which restroom or locker room is a pre-op transsexual supposed to use? The one they look like, or the one they are biologically.

It seems, if we are concerned with equality that we must abolish spaces that segregate us by gender (either apparent or biological).

I believe in the current social/cultural landscape that progress on this issue is simply not possible, as these issues cross into a place that many people aren't willing to look at with unflinching determination. However, I also believe that we won't be able to keep this biased charade going forever and expect that unisex everything will one day be the norm.

Thoughts?

Voting Results

36% Normal

Based on 14 votes (5 yes)

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Comments ( 32 )

TheCockRoach

8 years ago

The system isn't broke right now so why does it need to be fixed?

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  Well, I have to disagree, as it is, it's inherently broken. While protecting women from whatever it is hetero men might do, it's endangering those same hetero men by exposing them to homosexual men.
  
  We either need to add a whole lot of restrooms (het men, homo men, het women, homo women, trans mtf, trans ftm)
  
  Or reduce to just one for all.
  
  To say it's not broken is to ignore these realities.
  
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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  Well, that's certainly one point of view, but what about all those anxious homophobes that are worried about the guys seeing them in their state of vulnerability.
  
  Or those vulnerable women that are just trying to do their business with a degree of privacy and in walks a man in a dress that claims that even though he's male he "feels" like a woman so they should just accept his presence in their safe female sanctum?
  
  I'd say it's damn well broken right now.
  
  If you wanted to execute the gays and not allow transgenderness than, yes, it's not broken, but that seems a little extreme.
  
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Crow

8 years ago

Blame the "she dressed like she was asking for it" line.

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- _Crusades
  
  8 years ago
  
  She wasn't asking for it. She was begging for it.
  
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Redcoats

8 years ago

Umm, privacy?

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  Exactly!
  
  Hetero men need privacy so that Homo men aren't oogling them and tempted into raping them. Same with the female side of the equation. And the trans folk are not only confused, but also really confusing.
  
  And damn it, we ALL need our privacy. Thank you for agreeing.
  
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  - Zonfire80
    
    5 years ago
    
    Be honest though wouldn't it kind of be hott for a transman who likes women in the woman's changing room. Like it would be cool if the transman could go in with his girlfriend.
    
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wigz

8 years ago

I'd be concerned for glory holes. Unisex? No way bub.

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mystery7

8 years ago

That's interesting. I have sometimes seen music events where only women are permitted to enter. I wonder how they'd react if there were male only concerts?

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  All hell would break loose, sir or madam.
  
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Freedom_

8 years ago

For goodness sake, man, think of the children!

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  I had a really creepy response in mind, but didn't want to derail this otherwise scintillating discourse.
  
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  - Freedom_
    
    8 years ago
    
    Do it.
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      8 years ago
      
      I hardly need to state it clearly, the dirty minded among you have already "thought about the children" in a unisex restroom.
      
      The thing is, with this new system a parent of either gender could accompany a child of any gender into the restroom to keep them safe from all the people that can't control themselves and take advantage of those in vulnerable conditions.
      
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      - Freedom_
        
        8 years ago
        
        Well it's not only that, but also the fact that young girls would be exposed to male genitalia...unless, of course the urinals are placed in stalls. Aaand, just because parents should accompany their children to the bathroom does not mean they will. Way too many irresponsible (or naive) parents out there.
        
        If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
        
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        Zonfire80
        
        5 years ago
        
        Transwomen are women. What male genitalia are you talking about?
        
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NeofelisNebulosa

8 years ago

I agree that gender specific spaces are largely imposed by self-created societal standards about gender. If you divide locker rooms into a specific binary like that, you exclude the trans and gay people. I suppose women might be afraid of being raped by a man, but in a busy and public locker room, that might not be a problem. Besides, a male rapist could just walk into the women's locker room if he wanted. I wouldn't mind a gender-neutral locker room or bathroom as long as everyone kept their eyes to themselves.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  Well, that would of course be impossible, but I can't wait to see you in my new utopian world.
  
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musicwire4

8 years ago

Really, men can overpower women and men commit 99 percent of rapes

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- mypenisinyourmouth
  
  8 years ago
  
  Stop talking cow shit!
  
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- Zonfire80
  
  5 years ago
  
  Lessbians and Transmen can't over power women?
  
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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  Men can overpower men and men commit 99 percent of rapes. So, clearly something must be done, unless you're one of those homo rapists then you'd have to be in favor of this idea.
  
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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  Wouldn't that mean that men are in a lot of danger from homosexual men? That's a chilling conclusion that you're asserting!
  
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Quintarius

8 years ago

I cannot tell if this is a serious question or not. What a retarded thing to ask. Enough with this equality bullshit.

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- Zonfire80
  
  5 years ago
  
  What?
  
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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  What? You no like see boobies?
  
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Zonfire80

5 years ago

So transmen can go in the woman's bathroom? They identify as male. Why should they be in the woman's bathroom or locker room? Or any woman's space?

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DarkLord1776

8 years ago

I don't know about where you live but in my state transgender people go in the bathroom of the gender they feel they are.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  I think that it's handled pretty much like that everywhere, however it seems a terribly flawed system. To wit: what makes someone transgendered? And no, not in the physical or mental sense, but the legal. For example, if one is stopped by the police whilst driving, one must produce valid identification (and perhaps other documents, i.e. insurance, etc.) that indicates the person is legally entitled to operate a motor vehicle. So then, if I am male, but I'm feeling especially feminine today, what is to keep me from entering the women's restroom? It's already quite clear women can wear men's attire without it raising (m)any eyebrows, so if clothed as a male normally would be, why could I not enter the women's restroom if I liked?
  
  I'm pretty sure that regardless of where you lived, unless you have a "transgender identification card*" you'd have some ramifications from such behaviour.
  
  Your example is just further proof of the need for doing away with these gender segregated restrooms. Thank you for your support on this most urgent matter.
  
  *And just try to institute a system where to be trangendered one must carry a card. There would be torches and pitchforks a plenty gathering in your courtyard.
  
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donteatstuffoffthesidewalk

8 years ago

why is this a goal?

dont yall has anythin better to do in life?

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  8 years ago
  
  Not a damn thing, or I wouldn't be inhabiting this cesspool. I would have thought that much was obvious.
  
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Are You Normal?

How long before we can do away with gender specific spaces?