Okay, so what's really going on with the transgender bathroom issue?

by Ben Reilly Sun May 15, 2016 5:30 am

Namely, does anybody remember this ever being an issue until the past month or so?

Does anybody remember a screaming headline about a transgender person doing anything more untoward in a public restroom than leaving an unflushable?

Why now ... why in a presidential election year would a party, with a history of raising things like constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage in election years, suddenly have decided that now is the time to deal with transgender people's choice of bathrooms?

Why does it seem that Republicans from North Carolina to Texas are all so suddenly and simultaneously worried about this, with equal levels of urgency? Could someone have maybe, I don't know, coached them on this? Could there have been some meeting of influential conservatives where this was seized upon as a good election-year wedge issue? Is there perhaps a memo out there somewhere?

I hope somebody's investigating. Because all these party officials getting concerned about this, which has never even been an issue before, at this particular moment, just seems a bit suspicious.

by Ben Reilly Sun May 15, 2016 5:33 am

Seems some people have beaten me to this conclusion:

There are 14 more of these bills floating around in 9 other states. 44 have been proposed since the beginning of this year—21 were proposed last year out of 85 anti-LGBT bills total. This is clearly escalating. This is also clearly planned, the second-stage strategy for the Religious Right culture war due to waning support on same-sex marriage. A wedge issue they can use to divide centrists from progressives, and a front they expect to conquer.

The planning for this strategy goes back to summer of 2014, although the rhetoric goes back much further. During the Southern Baptist Conference in June 2014,transgender rights were presented as the “next phase” of the gay rights fight, after the diminishing returns of suppressing same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, "gay rights organizations" like the Human Rights Commission are backing Republican candidates.

The Family Research Council, still licking it's wounds from the gay marriage Supreme Court ruling in June of 2015, soon afterwards released their own statement and platform on transgender rights.

It lays out broadstroke soundbites about pathology and politics, a Cliff Notes of anti-trans rhetoric.

In January of this year, the Republican National Comittee approved a resolution, itself populated with dogwhistle language around "same-sex facilities", focusing specifically on pushback against recently passed gender identity-based employment and housing protections—as per usual, under the guise of stopping imaginary “bathroom predators”.

http://harlot.media/articles/1655/the-calculated-republican-trans-bathroom-wedge-strategy

by eddie Sun May 15, 2016 10:33 am

I really don't see the issue with this. People getting their knickers in a twist over who uses what toilet??? Ffs

by 'Wolfie Sun May 15, 2016 10:58 am

I RECKON a much more pressing and important issue is :

Why do Americans keep on calling toilets and washrooms "bathrooms" -- when they clearly don't contain a bath or a shower ?!?

EVEN down here, some young empty-headed muppets mostly of the female-type-persuasion have started calling toilets and public restrooms "bathrooms" in recent years -- just to show how easily non-thinking types can be influenced by American TV shows.. Okay, so what's really going on with the transgender bathroom issue? 3633442240

Okay, so what's really going on with the transgender bathroom issue? 3633442240

.

by Guest Sun May 15, 2016 11:15 am

I've always considered this such an 'ODD' issue but as with the privacy behind closed bedroom doors as another huge targeted bull's-eye for the Bible Thumper crowd --- it's fear!
The more equality issues get pushed forward because the 'Bible Thumpers' have been able to keep those RIGHTS repressed...the more those same repressive groups have to force their right to SHAME GAME and vote against it.
The most often Quick Trip/Stop & Shop/Gas & Go/Seven-11 here in America will have but ONE RESTROOM...that's it; wait your turn, wait in line with boys/girls/men/women/handicapped/elderly...it's a one size fits all. No one bats an eye - raises a fuss {unless the toilets over flowing/out of paper}even those women in their Quaker/Mennonite attire come in use the facility and never question 'WHY'.
Ever been in a busy pub and the line for the LADIES ROOM reaches out to the dance floor; those women will over flow into the men's room and have a 'buddy-system' guard that door!
Muchadoabout nutt'n Rolling Eyes

by Ben Reilly Sun May 15, 2016 4:18 pm

It's not a real issue. It was concocted for an election year so that Republicans could hit Democrats over the head with "They want pervy men in your daughters' bathrooms."

They don't give a shit, it’s just a ploy.

by Ben Reilly Sun May 15, 2016 4:21 pm

Wolf, there's a proud tradition of people using euphemisms for "toilet" Smile

by Original Quill Sun May 15, 2016 6:02 pm

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

I RECKON a much more pressing and important issue is :

Why do Americans keep on calling toilets and washrooms "bathrooms" -- when they clearly don't contain a bath or a shower ?!?

EVEN down here, some young empty-headed muppets mostly of the female-type-persuasion have started calling toilets and public restrooms "bathrooms" in recent years -- just to show how easily non-thinking types can be influenced by American TV shows..
.

Why indeed do we use the term 'restrooms'. I've yet to see a cot and pillow in one, and if I did, I wouldn't use it.

Americans use restrooms, bathrooms and ladies/men's rooms because of the offensive reaction with recalling the act of peeing or taking a crap.

Indeed, at one of my receptions in my home a French woman (mother of one of my employees) excused herself from the company because I have to go to the toilet.

Toilet is the proper French word for it, but it stopped the conversation as each person contemplated her bare bottom gracing an upward-facing hole, filled with water...and gracing it with sundry deposits.

Much more relaxing to think of 'resting'. Laughing

by Ben Reilly Sun May 15, 2016 6:14 pm

In Spanish-speaking cultures they refer to "el baño," which derives from "bañar," "to bathe." Obviously most of the time you go there you're not bathing Smile

by Cass Sun May 15, 2016 6:18 pm

I just need to pee. I really don't care who is in the next stall to me.

For those people more concerned with the other person's genitals strikes me as gross and downright nasty.

by Guest Sun May 15, 2016 7:17 pm

Original Quill wrote:
WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

I RECKON a much more pressing and important issue is :

Why do Americans keep on calling toilets and washrooms "bathrooms" -- when they clearly don't contain a bath or a shower ?!?

EVEN down here, some young empty-headed muppets mostly of the female-type-persuasion have started calling toilets and public restrooms "bathrooms" in recent years -- just to show how easily non-thinking types can be influenced by American TV shows..
.

Why indeed do we use the term 'restrooms'. I've yet to see a cot and pillow in one, and if I did, I wouldn't use it.

Americans use restrooms, bathrooms and ladies/men's rooms because of the offensive reaction with recalling the act of peeing or taking a crap.

Indeed, at one of my receptions in my home a French woman (mother of one of my employees) excused herself from the company because I have to go to the toilet.

Toilet is the proper French word for it, but it stopped the conversation as each person contemplated her bare bottom gracing an upward-facing hole, filled with water...and gracing it with sundry deposits.

Much more relaxing to think of 'resting'.

Well, here's a sludge ole memory from the civil war era. The 'ladies rooms had a fainting bench/chaise lounge' thingy placed in there so while they were taking turns hoisting their petticoats/crinolines and all that frills and material up out of the way they had a place to lounge while either waiting their turn to chamber pot or redress - depending on the speed of the servants that had that job!
Men were sent out to the barn - corral - pig pen...they didn't warrant their own chamber pot/closet or room. Razz

Our current day facilities are referred to as 'BATH ROOMS' because in our homes they are indeed used as 'BATHS'; so they are classified as full bath - ½ bath - ¾ bath

Simple Definition of restroom
: a room in a public place with a sink and toilet

or vice versa Public Facility = restroom

But like I'd explained once {up there} unisex {single} restrooms have been being built for 15+ years...the right leaning 'Bible Thumpers' just didn't have political power {as Ben pointed out} in the White House so they were using them as they traveled across America and never batted an eye about those issues --- suddenly they can fake horror and show umbrage about this issue now? Suspect

by Syl Sun May 15, 2016 7:29 pm

We have been in a restaurant today that had two toilets...one for women and one for men and women.
I did choose to go in the ladies one only because someone was exiting the mixed one and it stunk.
Normally I will go in any.