on the use of public bathrooms as a trans person: an illustration

[belenen]

icon: "Ma'at (a photo of one side of a brass balance scale, with a feather inside the bowl. The background is sky blue. On the bottom of the image, below the photo, is the word "Ma'at")"
CN/TW: anti-trans sentiment regarding use of public bathrooms.

I made an illustration:

Comments

[bobby1933]

Interesting and helpful.
I must learn a new language
(a new version of English)

[belenen]

thanks!

Indeed, transforming language within our own minds is so important.

[bobby1933]

Oh, yes. and the ones we say out loud perhaps more so.

[raidingparty]

Two other bits about language forming thought patterns:
- One people (can't remember who) use directions because their language doesn't have "right" or "left". So, like... hand me the Southwest plate.
Since they're always thinking in terms of direction, they almost never get lost.
- This is a distant memory, so I might be getting it wrong, need to double-check with a native Japanese speaker. But if I remember correctly "breaking" is a passive verb in Japanese, so "the Southwest plate was broken". In a study, people in active-break languages remembered who broke the plate longer than passive.

[zimtkeks]

How people think they get to judge other people for their gender/sex/race/religion/whatever always baffles me. And makes me angry. My mother did a lot of awful things to my mind, but she sure raised me to respect every person the same. I'm so sorry there are so many judgmental folks out there who make life for you and others harder.
Also, I would be fine with unisex/unigender toilets. I don't go there to get naked in front of others, there are stalls. I don't care who's in the next one.

[belenen]

I am glad that your mother at least gave you that, it's something! makes it easier to unlearn what society teaches.

I think unisex/unigender is the way to go! there should be one bathroom for stalls and another for urinals, and no one should police who goes in where (but obv make sure people don't poop in urinals!).

[zimtkeks]

Ew, people pooping in urinals is a gross thought!

[fayriekisses]

I have 2 tran friends, you and another FB friend, and I've used you both as examples to transphobe people. The conversations have gone well. I think people just don't understand, and when you give concrete examples of real people, it registers easier. It's sad it has to be that way, but at least it works.

Also, saying you support a group of a people despite thier ignorant statement is a good way to shut them down. I think they have a tendency to believe 99% of people agree with their ignorance, so that's why they are comfortable openly expressing such junk.

[belenen]

Excellent! people can relate to a personal story so much more easily than to an abstract concept.

I totally agree, people say this stuff because they think everyone thinks it.

[xochitl]

This is a great graphic. I just recently figured out that I'm agender, and haven't quite made the leap yet to identifying as trans. I've gotten okay with calling myself genderqueer. I guess after almost 34 years of assuming I just "didn't know how to girl properly" is different than actualizing my gender identity is not actually "girl" at all, so it will take some time to get used to. :)

[belenen]

*nodnod* totally feel you on that!

[ragnarok_08]

This really is a great graphic - it says so much.

[belenen]

thanks!