Accommodation
The author sets up the article nicely by showing the audience what is really wrong with the word and implication of ‘accommodation’. Those who have to accommodate feel like they are complied to do so and so people who just want equal access feel further stripped away from the normal society by being labeled as a burden. This sets up societal norms that people feel the need to fit into. This word of ‘accommodation’ just further exemplifies the stigmas that surround the entering age of gender fluidity. The article also brings up the fact that it’s the transgender people who seem to be doing the most work when it comes to making everyone comfortable in the reoccurring issue of bathroom assignments. This fact also highlights how much work there is left in radically changing the society’s discomfort with having a safe and comfortable environment for all groups. Everybody has to use a bathroom in any situation they’re in especially in restaurants, workplaces, malls, and parks. So having a basic need not being available to your set of people, is inherently pushing that specific group out; a way of using the built environment to push unwanted people away.
History and Gender Roles
The article also highlights an interesting backstory to the introduction of the female bathroom. The backstory sets a theme of weakness and gender stereotypes that are still shared by some to this day. The inclusion of this backstory introduces the topic of how these places of female assembly is being intruded on by a new character of female. This all comes together to describe and humanize the other side of the battle of equal access for trans people. Though trans women might see themselves as women it is almost impossible to have all women have that same acceptance. A commentator shared an interesting view on how it seems as though once again women are having to be pushed over by men even if they are trans women. The oppressive gender role of men is still seen in the bathrooms as women see as this infiltration of their private space as a power struggle.
Fitting in the Mold
The article points out the fallacies with boiling down gender to chromosomes and with that they highlight that it’s not about the labels of gender that trans people seek but fitting in and being with the group they identify with the most. The author also includes an example of wanting to fit in with the story of a 12 year old transgender girl. While this is one story of environment that is more than accepting, there is still much work to be done outside of this one success story in order to achieve the societal acceptance of all gender bathrooms The article also says that change is made by making small adjustments which will not only help ease the safety of trans people but to help ensure that they are accepted in all places and not just confined to the places that have gender neutral bathrooms.
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