The DePaulia

Issue date: 2/1/10 Section: Two Cents

Media Credit: Kate Sanburn

Privileged. It's a word we all know, yet it's often defined differently. Maybe you feel privileged because you grew up in an affluent area, or have access to a good education, or perhaps it's even because you own an expensive car. But maybe you feel privileged because you can use public restrooms on a daily basis without ever having to stop and think.

For most, this is the case. We are privileged because we don't have to debate whether to use the men's or women's bathroom. We don't have to worry about what people will say or if they will stare when we enter. We probably don't have to be concerned about physical abuse, either.

But what do you do if you don't look like either of the stick figures on the door? Transgender and non-conforming people aren't as privileged when it comes to public, gendered restrooms. While some may choose to endure this emotional process that many see as a simple everyday act, others choose to hold it. Imagine leaving your home for a nine-hour school or work day and being afraid to use the bathroom. This cannot only lead to embarrassment for some, but also pain and medical problems.

The answer to all of this seems simple enough: gender-neutral bathrooms. Unfortunately, some aren't very receptive to the idea. I was in Owen Daniel-McCarter's ISP 200 class, Race and Gender, and prior to this class, I never once stopped and thought about how gender-segregated bathrooms may be affecting some people. As an experiment, all the female students were to enter the men's bathroom and all the male students were to enter the women's bathroom. Within two minutes, security showed up and questioned what we were doing. The experiment went perfectly. It proved that much of society is not accepting of people entering bathrooms that don't fit the "typical mold." It proved that society doesn't think people who don't look specifically like a male or female should be allowed to use public restrooms.

However, society is overlooking an important part of this situation. Many are ignoring the fact that transgender or non-conforming people are exactly that -- people. So who is society to stop people's natural bodily functions? Who is society to choose which people are able to use the restrooms? We don't segregate bathrooms by hair or eye color, so why gender?

Don't get me wrong. I completely understand the benefits of having gender-segregated bathrooms. Some like the privacy of being away from the opposite sex while others feel protected. But what I don't comprehend is why DePaul doesn't have more gender-neutral restrooms. For such a diversified university, we are only catering to certain people when it comes to restrooms.

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