No, no, no. No giggling. So says The Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus
Beyond the bathroom wars for transgender rights
The White House now offers a gender-neutral restroom, for use by men, women and anyone whose gender is less than certain. If this news tempts you to giggle — please refrain.
See? I told you. No giggling. Of course, you’re probably not giggling in the first place. If you’re a Democrat, you’re probably all for transgendered bathrooms and people going into a bathroom after they pick their sex (as long as men aren’t going into the bathroom your daughter uses at school. This is for Other People). If you’re a Republican, you’re wondering what in the hell is wrong with people and shaking your head.
Certainly, the bathroom wars are a bizarrely outsize aspect of a serious subject, which is ensuring full rights for transgender Americans. Bring up the issue, and it fast deteriorates into a debate, equal parts frivolous and overheated, over what might ensue if a male transitioning to female uses the ladies’ room. (Answer: The transgender individual goes into a stall and closes the door. No big deal.)
Tell me: what’s the difference between a man walking into the ladies room and going in to the stall, which would cause security/the police to be called, and a man claiming he identifies as a women going in?
The White House restroom policy is that anyone can use the facility that fits his or her needs. It added the gender-neutral option, in the Old Executive Office Building, to accommodate anyone who might not feel comfortable — or who might worry that others feel uncomfortable — in a single-sex restroom.
In other words, a special bathroom for the what, .0001 percent of the population which is need of a mental health evaluation?
This move is a minor part of a belated revolution in the way the federal government, and society as a whole, treats the issue of transgender rights. Just a few years ago, it was such an edgy outpost of the broader issue of gay rights that it was at risk of being sacrificed to the larger cause.
A revolution, you guys!
Anyhow, Marcus continues on and on and on about The Serious Importance Of People Confused About Their Dangly and Hidden Bits, leading to
“This president has been the best president in history on trans issues and nobody is in second place,†said Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “Until this administration, no one even took us into account. It’s not like they were off trying to hurt us or anything — it’s that they didn’t consider us at all.â€
Well, at least he’s good at something, considering the shaky state of the economy, poor international relations, the world burning, etc.
If you think that being transgender is creepy, or perverted, or fixable by conversion therapy, these developments probably do not impress you. If, however, you believe that some people are simply born into the wrong bodies — if you trust medical experts who believe that gender dysphoria is a real phenomenon — you probably think these are welcome developments.
If you believe society is pushing this more and more for ….. well, no actual reason, other than it being fashionable, and you have a big problem with males using women’s bathrooms and changing rooms, well, you’re a big meanie or something. Because the Bathroom Wars are like Super Important. Strange how in one breath liberals say that government shouldn’t “be in our bedrooms” and in the next breath want all sorts of government rules, regulations, and laws.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
Read: Ruth Marcus: The Bathroom Wars For Transgenders Are Totes Serious, You Guys »
