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Some voters say Kalamazoo's anti-discrimination vote doesn't address 'bathroom issue'

When you cut away equality arguments and lay aside the Bible, some Kalamazoo voters say it is the "bathroom issue" that will influence their Nov. 3 vote on Kalamazoo's anti-discrimination ordinance.

Pictures of men lurking outside female restrooms appear on campaign fliers from the opposition group Citizens Voting NO to Special Rights Discrimination, which claims the measure would allow individuals born one sex to dress as the other to gain improper access to a restroom.

Supporters of the ordinance call that a "red herring" and a "scare tactic." They say there are no criminal reports of transgender individuals committing bathroom crimes. But they say people in sexual transition are threatened when they are forced to use their biological, rather than gender-identity, restroom.

Two local residents say they have experienced the dilemma from both sides of the issue.

Mary Ann Stark, a Western Michigan University associate professor of nursing, said she experienced "emotional upheaval" when she learned a man who was transgendered presenting as a woman shared her locker room at a local health club.

Chris Boger, a 38-year-old biological male who considers herself a transgender female, struggles daily with the question of which public restroom to use. Boger fears being attacked if she chooses a restroom for men while wearing feminine garb and full make-up.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-10-30 06:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyotterfae.livejournal.com
Arg. Universal Design, people. Give it a try.
Okay, so it doesn't work well for stadium potties, but for academic and office buildings, it would be a huge improvement.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-10-30 06:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pstscrpt.livejournal.com
At some point, we're going to have to admit that gender-segregated bathrooms don't make sense. Hopefully, that will mean real doors and walls around the toilets and communal sinks.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-10-30 08:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] davidfcooper.livejournal.com
The Guggenheim Museum in NY has gender neutral single use bathrooms. But demand for their bathrooms is controlled by only admitting as many people to the museum as its facilities can handle. I doubt that would work at large highway rest stops, sports stadia, or train or air terminals where the number of people needing to use restrooms at any one time would require a very large number of single use bathrooms.

(no subject)

Date: 2009-10-31 01:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] devon.livejournal.com
Every highway rest stop I've visited in Michigan, Ohio, and New York has had a "family" bathroom which is single occupancy, but with baby changing facilities. They've already added gender neutral single use bathrooms, which is great.

the bathroom issue

Date: 2009-10-31 01:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] devon.livejournal.com
Yeah, it's like that. Passing butches and FTMs get routinely abused in women's bathrooms. Thanks, ladies! (present company excluded, of course.)

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