Category: DB7

I become more and more appalled hearing about the struggles people of the lgbt+ community face, more specifically transgender people. something so simple as bathroom access to cis gender people is not as easy for transgender people. And its crazy even saying and typing this out because whether your cis, transgender, gay, bi, non- binary you’re still a person. WE ALL use the bathroom because that’s a thing people do, everyone does it. And so for people to decide that a transgender person can’t access the bathroom that matches their gender expression is ridiculous. No cause like if you really try to understand this it just doesn’t make sense. Like your pressed about seeing a transgender person using the bathroom they feel comfortable with.. like why you minding they business. Just use the bathroom, you only gonna spend like 5 mins in there, then you leave, that’s it. Or even the fact that non binary people who don’t identify as male or female would have a bathroom that is separate from the rest. Like why if the male and female bathrooms are on the first floor they should have to go to the 6th or 7th floor because that’s the only private bathroom available?? First of all thats not even fair. Well, these are just some thoughts and feeling i have about after this weeks readings. I really hope things can change.

After reading Trans People Bathroom Access July 2016, spoke about how opening up bathrooms to transgender people shouldn’t get in the way of anyone, that there’s no reason to not have these people choose they identify or feel most comfortable in.

I was reminded, as someone who is Non-binary, I struggle to decide which bathroom to use but also for my safety I go to the women’s bathroom, especially because I look more feminine even though I would prefer to be perceived as a guy. Also in this scary world, I happen to trust women more than men. I remember in high school that they didn’t let people use bathrooms to their gender identity, and many restrooms in the school were kept locked when students felt they should at least open one up to be at least be a gender-neutral bathroom, instead of many would go to the nurse for the gender-neutral bathroom which sometimes the nurse wouldn’t allow depending on the nurse who’s there that day.

I also know many transgender people still struggle to be able to use the bathroom, from laws or their city/town/area is unsafe, or they don’t entirely “pass” as their gender identity which people who are against them would catch on sooner, which then transphobic people will do their best to exclude them, or possible harassment or troubles.

After going through this week’s material, I’ve further realized that it really is important to bring trans issues to light. Chase Strangio really brings up an important point on how the government is more focused on oppressing minorities rather than actual issues at hand. Regardless of gender or sexuality, everyone should have their right to stand on the field if capable. Qualification speaks through performance, and if one is adequate, there really shouldn’t be an issue. This then brings up the idea that we need to change our government officials; we need more people to push for the rights of all minority groups.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is the bathroom privileges of trans individuals. There should be no reason as to why trans people need to look for non-binary/private bathrooms, if a trans woman identifies as such, then they have every right to use the women’s bathroom. In “Transgender People and Bathroom Access”, it is said that transgender people are often forced to use private/separate bathrooms. This is not only extremely rude but also unethical. How are you (referring to indecent individuals) going to ask a transgender woman to use a different bathroom when there is no real reason to stop them. The bathroom is not a top-tier secret lair that needs to be protected at all times, just let people finish their business and go. It’s also important to note that there are still many places in the US where there are no non-binary bathrooms. This results in unneeded issues that could have been easily avoided if people didn’t see trans people as a separate gender.

All in all, these are all issues that needs to be addressed along with everything else that is going on. We are currently living in an era of change so the more we can bring everything to the forefront, the better it is to build a strong foundation to a equal future.

The theme of this weeks videos and articles revolved around the right of transgender people. Things that we as cis gendered people may not think twice about: sports, the bathroom and our perception. However, these are things that the trans community must think of through their daily lives. The perception of gender has long fascinated me and while reading the articles I had to step outside of myself to try and understand the trans community and the adversities they have to overcome.

Conformality has it roots in the cooperation of the United States of America. From the way we socially conform: men are expected to exhibit masculine traits and the same could be said for women in their own context; to the way some may conform to gender norm expectations. However, throughout history we see that their are people who live outside of these roles of gender norm expectations. Trans people, non binary people and gender non conforming people have long live outside the box of what is socially acceptable. People who identify as such are often dehumanized, demonized or simply not treated with any compassion. We can see this with the case of two transgender high school sophomores Terry Miller and Andraya Yearwood. These two young ladies were allowed to join a track team that allied with the gender they identify as due to the progressive Connecticut laws in favor of the non conforming community. The two young ladies won both first and second in their respective races, naturally there were parents who were upset. These parents even went as far as making a petition for Connecticut for reverse their policies that align with the right of trans people. The harassment continued further when the young ladies posted their wins on Twitter, they were virtually attacked, bullied and even threatened. On Twitter user shared this according to ABC News article, “These girls worked hard only to be cheated because science deniers allowed two boys to steal what they worked so hard for,” this is extremely disheartening for multiple reasons. One, there is no science that says all trans women are physically strong than cis gender women . Two, they do not refer to her with the proper pronouns she would wish to be addressed as. Lastly, any form of harassment is horrible. Eventually, the two young ladies quit their teams due the harassment and public outrage which is absolutely unfortunate.

Trans, or non binary, harassment is not a newly found concept. It has existed for as long as the community has. There will always be ignorance within a society, whether macro or micro. What happens when that ignorance comes from your own community?

As we seen in the article, “It’s Time to End the Long History of Feminism Failing Transgender Women” by Tina Vasquez she analyses the ways in which women spaces are not inclusive towards trans women and the ignorance the trans community has to face from people who may consider themselves radical feminist. The radical feminist, or trans-exclusionary radical feminist (TERFs) as referred to by Vasquez, almost align themselves with bigots. Saying things like, “doctors can make a feminine creature but can not make a woman” or Brennen a openly TERF posting transwomen addresses, phone number or even going as far as to call their jobs. This out the trans community at a huge risk for different reasons. Financially, they may lose their job, and safety reasons. The behavior that Brennen, and other TERFs, display is unacceptable especially because it a marginalized group of women attacking a different marginalized group of women. How can we contribute to the growth and safety of the trans community? Simple, education. Educating ourselves, our family, friends and community. As well as aligning ourselves with trans people, or communities, showing as much representation as possible because they’re human first and deserve to live as much as a cis gender binary person.

The first thing that struck me from this week’s reading was from the second line on New York’s 2016 Executive Order regarding Access to Single Sex Facilities Consistent with Gender Identity and Expression.

“WHEREAS, the New York City Human Rights Law has expressly prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression since 2002.”

Is that not absolutely BONKERS? I feel like 2002 was NOT that long ago… That’s honestly my full thought, that just really surprised me.

I’ve always been baffled on the most baseline argument for allowing trans people to use the bathrooms for their chosen gender identity. Privacy stalls inside restrooms exist for a reason, and I don’t know about anyone else… but I don’t usually spend my time in restrooms peeking in on other people to see what they’re up to. I suppose what I mean to say is, a trans person using a restroom isn’t in any way “in your face.” One would argue that it’s the opposite. All this to say, it is also BONKERS that it needs to be an argument at all.

TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) often, but not always, fall under what I see as cultural feminism – women who preach for the cause of women when it is convenient or appropriate for them. I feel like my own interpretation of feminism has shifted so vastly since first discovering the concept of feminism itself, but I can’t imagine ever wanting to specifically exclude other women from my beliefs; because trans women are women. Why in the world should someone else’s identity affect me or god forbid, my bathroom of choice?

I want to start by saying it was really apt that the Toilet Training video referenced the Law & Order sequence, seeing as SVU has done so many episodes addressing trans issues historically, and how many of those episodes discuss reference the bathroom issue specifically.

I’m glad that the Transgender People and Bathroom Access reading as well as the Toilet Training video address and tackles the folk theories regarding the safety of a bathroom. The whole idea that someone would argue that “if a trans woman can use the bathroom what if men disguise themselves as women” as if that’s not just assault and something that needs to be addressed on its own!?

“To imply that trans women pose a threat to cisgender women in restrooms is misinformation that preys on unfounded fears. I searched for news stories in which transgender women have assaulted cisgender women in bathrooms, coming across nothing but news stories detailing the attacks on transgender women themselves. ” – I think the BitchMedia article hit the target on the really sad irony of the bathroom issue.

Personally, TERF ideologies absolutely blow my mind, but why call someone a TERF when you can just call them what they really are: Transphobic.

Growing up in the South and now living in New York, I have been able to gain perspective on the many forms of social constructs of gender and sex. What does it mean to be a woman? That color is “masculine” or “feminine.” “You look like a boy,” and the comments go on, and they continuously push the notion that Gender Identity is to be held within a box. I believe that gender identity is a form of expression, just the same as the choice of clothing we wear. The colors we chose should not and are not connected to any sex or gender.

After listening to the “Edge of Sports” podcast, I learned and expanded my own knowledge of the trans community’s negative effects as athletes. I don’t believe this is talked about enough, specifically cis and trans women athletes. The harsh rhetoric that says that young trans people should be excluded from women’s sports, even to say that it is just for and advocates only for cis women’s safety, is horrible in itself. We should be thinking about all WOMEN’s safety, including trans women; they are women. This is the same problem with restrooms where we are only thinking of the safety of cis women and whether or not they would feel comfortable. We neglect how we force trans men and women to feel uncomfortable and chose not to go because they are fearful because we aren’t protecting them, their lives, and their rights.

Leticia Rodriguez

March 22, 2021

Dr. Soniya Munshi

“It’s Time to End the Long History of Feminism Failing Transgender Women”

I read the article written by Velasquez Tina, which quoted Sandeen Autumn, a transgender activist and U.S service that wanted to succeed a petition in changing her gender identification on all her military records. Autumn quoted: “Transphobia is no longer acceptable in the name of feminist”. I do not believe that is right to make anyone feel alienated from what they identify with, nor think -that an individual are not capable to perform a job, because of gender identity. Feminist can be women, men, teens, transgender, LBGT community, etc. I believe that this movement is for civil rights across the board. There are many phobia’s that people possess from, diseases, racial color, third world countries, religion and even gender identity. It’s a crisis that many perish from lack of understanding.

Velasquez writes a compelling article and quoted many feminist that were either radical feminist like Cathy Brennan, or feminist organizations that possesses moral ethics, beliefs, and practices. I was deeply disturbed by Mary Daley, 1978 book GYN/Ecology comparing the drag queen “Phenomenom” to blackface, even going on to say that surgeons can make a person feminine, but not produce a woman. I clearly think that anyone who has this mind frame has been brought up with a radical religious back round which are another type of radicalism, that believe God hates when God really loves. God hates evil and ominous thoughts in people but loves people. In my opinion, I call this radical behavior, and mental illness as well.

In Velasquez writing, she unveils extreme radicals in feminism with no moral ethics, like Cathy Brennan that should not be tolerated. Another issue that I find shocking is a transgender racial feminist by the name of, Dana Taylor identify as a transexual separatist—quoted”someone who thinks society will be better off if trans people do not participate in spaces meant for women”.  Taylor thought that she was doing the right thing for a noble cause, but later realized her morals were unethical and pulled out of the radical feminist movement. Today Taylor suffers from PTSD and anxiety due to these cruel feminist radicals which inflict violence and humiliation for being who they are.

Velasquez wrote a profound quote: “The idea that I’m homophobic and anti-women was upsetting, given that I’m a queer woman“. It is sad to say that feminist, are only women when this movement accepts all genders and people (including men) that stand for the same rights. Furthermore, It is no ones business whom people choose to relate to as gender identity. If more people (all people no matter who you are) have a voice of opinion on this matter, the better for possible change.

We are a nation divided by politics, let us not divide individuals who want to be evolved in this movement. Other so-called feminist with lack of morality, through ignorance of their own issues do not really matter. These individuals should be removed from ever speaking on social media that write hate or negativity about others trying to make a difference. after all, we should not be denied or abridged by feminist racial groups or government in the account of feminism and transgender rights movements. I believe this is a branch from a tree, called hate crimes and how top officials overlook it.

The reading ” Transgender people And Bathroom Access” really caught my attention because I feel like this has been a debate that has been going on for a while. I personally know a person who dealt with this problem throughout high school. People in school would question this person about what exactly did they identify as, and I know now when I look back I wonder what was going through this person’s head, I would like to know more about this topic, seeing different people’s views or stories from transgender who experience any harassment based on this. It would be an interesting topic to talk about. Most people seem to have a problem when it comes to transgender using a public bathroom, Transgenders still have to deal with being rejected and harassed. I feel like people need to be more aware of what’s going on in society and talk about these problems. Transgender people are not a treat so for them to be treated like it It’s wrong, to prevent those privileges like using a public bathroom, I don’t agree that it’s okay. This also makes a big effect on transgender people because they start to feel unwanted by their own society, if we are all equal then why is that transgenders have to be considered into private bathrooms.