The demand for gender neutral bathrooms is rising rapidly as more people realise that they would be far better for society than single-sex bathrooms that we’ve been accustomed to. No wonder! Not only are the bathrooms in favour of the LGBTQ community, but pretty much everyone else who prefers convenience, inclusion, simple logic and a safer society would also agree. Would you rather join the argument of pro gender-neutral bathrooms, or side with those whose only ‘evidence’ is based of old stereotypes?
As previously stated, the LGBTQ Community has perhaps fought the longest and hardest in the battle for gender neutral bathrooms, and with good reason. Transgender people have struggled since the start for simple bathrooms where they can truly express their preferred gender and feel safe. A study from the ucla shows 70% of trans people say they have experienced verbal harassment in a situation involving gender-segregated bathrooms. But you can’t necessarily be attacked in a bathroom where everyone’s ‘allowed’, can you? This fact would encourage more people to respect others and not use mere bathrooms to discriminate, meaning we could all use those facilities with none of that prejudice on our minds.
It’s not just the LGBTQ community who’d find it more convenient. Everyone benefits from gender neutral bathrooms regardless of gender, race or even age. Having another gender-neutral bathroom option results in shorter lines as queues can disperse between at least two different bathrooms now, and not have to worry about any missing facilities as gender neutral caters for everyone. Yes, even babies and disabled people! It’s likely resources will be provided for them in such bathrooms, resulting in happier caregivers and guardians who don’t need to struggle to carry out their job just because of a difference in gender. If a heart attack or an emergency occurs in a gender-neutral bathroom, absolutely anyone can run in to help and not be constricted by any difference in gender. Gender neutral bathrooms truly do save lives, time and money.
However, even with all these advantages, some still argue gender segregated bathrooms are better. Opposing parties say that women are too clean and polite and men too harsh and barbaric. They say that it would result in more rape, or that building facilities are too expensive. Well, science and plain logic tells us that’s rubbish! You don’t have to build new facilities. Chucking a gender-neutral paper sign on top of a normal bathroom door still increases its availability, and transgender people still feel included and validated by it. The RAINN reports that most rape is committed by an acquaintance or intimate partner, 45 and 25 percent respectively. The CDC’s statistics also say 51% of women with lifetime prevalence of rape were raped by an intimate partner, and 41% by acquaintance. And as for the invisible divide between men and women, wouldn’t it be better to educate each other about our differences and gain mutual respect instead of constantly being separated? Stereotypes would be less enforced once men see how they should treat women on periods, or when women see that men aren’t so rough. We deserve to be brought together more than live in segregation.
A growing number of people are befittingly joining in the fight for gender-neutral bathrooms but it’s not enough yet. When can others see all the struggling LBGTQ members who will profit from this, or mindsets that will be changed, or simply the decrease of queues it will bring us? It all starts with one person who could make others see the importance of these bathrooms. Why don’t you be that person?
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