PAGE THREE
RU CKU S
UNITED STATES—It used to be so
very simple. If you were a boy, you
used this one and if you were a girl
you used that one. If you were under six and you went with your
mommy, it didn’t matter, but the
boys often complained if they had
to accompany Mom into the
wrong restroom.
Did you know that the United
States has the fewest public restrooms of any developed nation, per
capita? In most countries, public
restrooms are provided by the local government because it is a universal need that people have.
There is a public health interest in
people not peeing and pooping in
the streets. Compare Manchester,
England, Memphis, Tennessee.
Manchester has lots of public facilities. They may not be on every
street corner, but they are seldom
more than a short walk from
wherever you are, downtown at
least. Many of Manchester’s public facilities are Victorian works of
art—they have public campaigns
to preserve them and restore
them. In Memphis, in contrast,
there are almost no public restrooms. There are restrooms you
can use in Memphis, usually in
stores or restaurants and most say
“not for public use” on the door.
I’m trying hard to think of a public park in Europe or Japan without a public restroom. The small
town in Washington State I live
nearest to has four public parks
without any public restrooms.
There used to be one, but the
homeless people were using it, so
it’s gone.
Of course, there didn’t use to be
women's public restrooms. This is
a fairly recent innovation.
And Americans are obsessed with
toilet protocol. Where I work, the
cleaning staff, in this case a
woman, stalks the men’s restroom for 10-15 minutes twice a
day. She knocks, calls and makes
sure in every way that she will not
catch some hard of hearing man
in the convenience. And then she
barricades the door to warn anyone attempting to interrupt her
that the facility is OFF LIMITS
while being cleaned. She just
barges into the women’s restroom and apart from an occasional
“Wet Floors” warning, she does
not restrict ingress or egress from
that room’s patrons in any way.
When I was in Malaysia, the
cleaning staff cleaned both the
mens and the women’s restroom
with no regard for sex or gender
- they just walked in: it might be
a man or a woman, but they had
a right to be there because it was
their job to be there. There was no
fuss and they were thoroughly ignored, whatever their sex and
whatever the designation of the
restroom. Most of the world is like
this.
Americans are squeamish, I
guess. Maybe it was those Puritans.
Something else to thank them for.
However, this new fight in the
press, in the courts and in the legislature seems way out of proportion to the seriousness of the issue.
On the one side are the transgender activists and their allies
who say that if you are presenting
female or identify as female, regardless of your official legal sex,
or how you are perceived by others, you should be entitled to use
the women’s restroom. And by extension, though this very seldom
seems to come up, if you are
legally female, but present yourself as a man or identify as male,
regardless of how you are perceived by others, you should be
legally entitled to use the men’s
restroom.
By Henry Meyerding
On the other side are tradition- most men are dangerous to
alists and their supporters who cry women. Some people would disbalderdash! If you are male, go to agree with me. Many of the obthe men’s room and if female go jectors to transgender people usto the women’s restroom, period. ing their restroom of choice think
Many make further claims: that that men are inherently terrifying
God made you what you are and and wantonly dangerous, at least
no doctor or state legislature can in women’s restrooms. Some obmake you into anything else. ject because they assume that
Some also assume that men are a predators will use gender identidanger to women, especially in a ty as a smokescreen to prey on
women’s restroom, and that women.
Do you think people are mostly
women receive an inevitable and
persistent harm if a male violates good and try to be good to others,
their restroom with his presence. or do you think people are basiAny woman of good character cally evil and will take any opporshould be offended and trauma- tunity to do evil and harm others?
tized by a man in her restroom. If you believe the latter, again, I feel
Men, they say, must protect sorry for you. I know there are people like that, the Ted Bundys of the
women from these dangers.
I can respect some parts of both world, but they’re the exception to
points of view for different reasons. the rule, not the proof of it.
My first presumption, on finding
Transgender people have a lot of issues with public restrooms, some a man in a women’s restroom,
of them even make sense. If you would be that he was lost. Years
look female, people will hassle ago, I worked in a very confusingly
you if you try to use a men’s rest- laid out building with lots of
room. If you look male, they will twists and turns in its layout.
hassle you if you try to use the Half the men’s restrooms were a
women’s restroom. Other issues sharp left and half were a sharp
do not make sense: it is rather dif- right. I found myself in the wrong
ficult to classify just what sex restroom very briefly a couple of
some people were born, and some times, but it was plainly obvious
trans people want to use the men’s because the women’s restroom
restroom on Tuesday and Thurs- was done in Pepto Bismol Pink and
day and the women’s restroom on the men’s in Bright Baby Blue.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday. When my friend at work was
This is confusing and difficult for hauled down to security for being
everybody else. This has nothing a man in the women’s restroom,
to do with a person’s physiology. his accuser was adamant that she
As a general rule, most transgen- was offended and scandalized and
der individuals try to go through traumatized. She wanted him forlife without hassles like this, some ever fired and removed from the
premises forever. The security
do not.
I feel squeamish going into the guard was gentle. “Ma’am, please
“wrong” restroom. I like to think be calm. Would it make you feel
it is because I am averse to of- any better? I mean he IS blind.”
fending or upsetting people, but He was let go with a warning.
So, what do we do about this?
really I was trained that way. As a
man, I have a big incentive to not The simplest and most straightmake people think I am some forward answer to my mind is unikind of a pervert. My partner has sex restrooms. If anyone can use
no problem with going into the the restroom, then anyone can.
men’s restroom when necessary, We’re done. It worked so well in
but I doubt that she would be la- Ally McBeal. Portapotties are all
beled a pervert for doing so. There unisex. Many places have only
are very few things left in our so- one restroom, for everyone to
ciety that will earn that label with use. Lots of places have both
the general population, but being men’s and women’s restrooms
a man who is fascinated by and at least one small unisex restwomen’s restrooms is almost guar- room, usually called a family restanteed to earn a reputation he does room or some similar term, where
parents can take their children. I
not want.
Personally, speaking for myself, don’t see people clamoring in the
if someone of either gender goes State Legislature to remove any of
into any restroom, takes care of these as a public danger and for a
their physical requirement, wash- very good reason: they aren’t one.
But the fact remains that in most
es their hands neatly and leaves, I
don’t care. I consider myself most- public spaces there is an either/or
ly well-adjusted, so I am not choice. What are transgender peothreatened by other people doing ple expected to do about it? I
think that transgender people
things that do not affect me.
Some people do feel an intense have a responsibility to be the
discomfort having people of a dif- most well-behaved and unobjecferent sex in the restroom they tionable restroom patrons, reuse. Other people find it very dif- gardless of their choice or restficult if not impossible to use any room. It is counterproductive to
public restroom. I feel sorry for make any transition harder than
these people. No one likes to use it needs to be. If we say it is alright
a dirty restroom, of course, and we for you to use the X restroom you
don’t all have the same standard want to use, because you identify
of cleanliness, but in my experi- as X, then the best thing that you
ence, most of the people who can do is to be as invisible a patron,
can’t use a public restroom are and give as little offense, as hupeople who can’t bear strangers (of manly possible for you. When
either sex) hearing them urinating white-only restrooms were being
or defecating. It embarrasses them integrated, 50 years ago, civil
and I feel sorry that they feel so un- rights workers told black people to
comfortable with a universal and be scrupulously clean and polite
natural act every single human be- and give no one any reason to obing does. It falls into the same class ject to their using the restroom.
as people who cannot wash them- That was good advice then and is
selves properly in certain areas be- today. And if those who want to use
cause they can’t bear being the “wrong” restroom do this, I
touched, even by themselves, on think we should all say OK. There
some “dirty” parts of their bodies. is nothing wrong, in my opinion,
I do not feel that a woman in a with anyone quietly, and politely,
men's restroom endangers the entering, using a stall, washing
male patrons. I do not feel that a themselves and leaving.
Anyone who does other things
man in a woman’s restroom is inherently dangerous. I do not think in a public restroom, who bothers
CANYON NEWS DECEMBER 1, 2013
Point Of View
THE FIGHT TO HALT BLACK THURSDAY
other patrons, who makes it impossible or difficult for them to hygienically relieve themselves in as
much privacy as possible, is committing a breach of the peace and
should be stopped. I include in this
group people who create a public
furor because someone they think
is X, seeks entry into a restroom
labeled Y. It was not a problem until they made it into one.
As to things other than normal
biological functions for which
restrooms are provided, I think
everyone agrees that using restrooms for these other purposes is
a bad thing and is glad that we
have laws on the books that prohibit these things. However, just
the presence of a person being in
a restroom labeled for a different
sex does not constitute that kind
of offense. It used to be in many
states that if a man went into a hotel room with a woman and the
door was closed, he could be jailed
on a charge of rape or adultery,
without benefit of any medical evidence that would indicate that sex
had occurred. Times change and
laws change with them, eventually.
This palaver over restrooms is
just such a thing. Let’s put in more
unisex restrooms. Let’s just decide
to say that as long as you use a
restroom as a restroom and don’t
bother anyone, it’s cool, no harm
done. We don’t need to find more
reasons to put more people in jail
for crimes of ideological disagreement. Let little Suzie complain about having to go into the
men’s restroom with Daddy, but
let’s agree not to arrest her for it.
When you look the facts squarely in the face, you have to conclude
that for most of the organizations engaging in this political
frenzy over restrooms, restrooms
and who uses them don’t really
matter. It is really about power,
money and influence. Transgender
restroom use is a fresh issue of
contention about which many
people have widely different views,
often based upon ideology or religion. Strongly held opinions
based on religion or ideology are
immune to common sense or
reason. There’s gold in them thar
restroom entitlements!
Almost no one is trying to find
any kind of compromise that will
suit most folks . . . no, this is a
“moral” issue so no holds are
barred. Organizations on both
sides can milk this one for decades
to come—a big fat delusional
danger people need to be protected from—just like the “danger” of
“gay marriage.” It is a natural for
groups like National Organization for Marriage. They’ve been
having trouble raising money
lately, after losing so many battles
over marriage equality. People
just aren’t buying their political arguments and it is so easy to refute
them. This crusade is a real revenue opportunity for them. And
what are they doing? They have
made public restroom entitlements a major focus of their organization.
Fear Mongering and moralist
crusades are so easy, not like actually governing or finding real solutions to the real problems that
plague our nation and our communities, and do real harm to real
people like us and our children.
You know, like unemployment,
wealth inequality, disintegrating
infrastructure, environmental issues, poor schools, endless wars,
stratospheric education and medical costs, . . . by all means, let’s
devote 95% of our attention and
media air time to restrooms, because that is somehow so much
more important.
By Trevor Roberts
UNITED STATES—People
are quite angry with the
upcoming Thanksgiving
holiday, and for good reason. I remember as a kid
there were certain holidays
where you just didn’t work:
Thanksgiving and Christmas to be exact. Oh, how
things have changed. The
day after Thanksgiving, notably known as “Black Friday”, has been a staple for
retailers for years as exclusive deals to help shoppers
get a bargain and place retailers in the red, in the
black.
During last two years,
consumers have seen an increase in Black Friday, slowly but surely sneaking into
the Thanksgiving holiday
and this year takes the cake.
I’ll be honest: I’m not happy about the chaos that will
ensue because of this decision to force some workers
to work on turkey day; I’ve
worked in retail; it’s not
fun at all. My issue is the
factor that some stores are
opening so early it practically freezes the big turkey
feast in my opinion. Toys 'R'
Us is opening at 5 p.m.;
shortly behind are both Best
Buy and Walmart opening
at 6 p.m. For everyone else,
it looks like 8 p.m. is the de-
L e t t h e 'B l a c k F r i da y ' ch a o s e n s u e.
ciding factor.
work is prohibited.
I’ve already seen some
While staff may not be as
people camp out at stores high on specific holidays
nearly a week ahead of time at certain professions there
to ensure they get that bar- are still people who are
gain they’ve been hoping for forced to work. So in
all year long. It is November essence, those boycotting
and it’s pretty chilly to say ‘Black Thursday’, as I now
the least, but if you can get call it, have to take in cona 50-inch TV for $229, I sideration those who are
guess you’ll do what you forced to work to provide eshave to do. The bigger issue sential needs to Americans
some are griping about is (gas, healthcare, protection,
the factor that some jobs etc). I do believe retailers
force employees to work need to take into consideryear round. For example, ation that allowing their
hospitals don’t close be- employees to have as much
cause of the holiday, the time off on that particular
police departments are not day would be best.
closed and news stations
Remember, a happy emare still ensuring that the ployee is one who is likely to
public is informed of what’s perform at their best. I can
taking place in the area. already imagine the faces of
There are some professions so many employees who
where there is no such will not be in the most
thing as a blue law where pleasant mood this upcom-
ing holiday. To make matters worse is the situation
that will revolve around the
mood of shoppers who will
storm the stores with a fury.
I say this time and time
again, crowd control or
some sort of security needs
to be in place at some of
these retail giants.
In no shape or form
should someone’s life be at
risk to gain a deal. Heck,
when you have the Comedy
Central series “ South Park”
poking fun at the holiday
and the tragedies that sometimes take place and how
some view the day as a competitive sport is hilarious,
but also a reality check.
We can get a bit ahead of
ourselves; just imagine taking a camcorder and recording the chaos and the craziness that some people engage in to grab a bargain.
It’s downright pathetic at
times.
I don’t see this happening
because so many people
need to work, but imagine
the faces on retail giants
and consumers if all workers decided to boycott the
big shopping day. Wow is all
I can say, but we may be
getting to a point where
that type of action could
take place.
B ULLY ING IN THE WORKPLA CE
UNITED STATES—When it
comes to bullying, so many
of us think of it as a rite of
passage. It will happen to
each and everyone, but just
because it happened in the
past doesn’t mean we should
attempt to keep it from happening in the future. Bullying is a major problem in
this nation and it just appears to get worse with each
day.
There are psychological
scars and ramifications from
bullying of which sometimes
the bully has no idea. Your
actions do indeed have an
impact on the injured party,
not just in a physical sense,
but emotional as well. Why
is this issue becoming a
problem? Well, because bullying is taking place more in
the workplace. That’s right,
that egotistical boss or a superior colleague who thinks
it’s okay to make someone
else’s life miserable. When
you work in corporate America you observe things. I
have worked many jobs in
my short lifetime and I’ve
seen so many things that are
alarming.
I have seen members in
management play favorites
and allow employees to do
little to nothing because this
person is their ‘favorite.’ Little do they know that type of
behavior only allows more
By Trevor Roberts
bad behavior from employees
who do work their a****
off. This only creates a division in the workplace; you
have the haves and then you
have the have nots. The recent scandal in the NFL
where a player was forced off
the field because of constant
humiliation and taunting
from another player is
dumbfounding to me. When
you think of football, Americans just don’t think that
type of culture takes place; B u ll y i n g a l s o o c c ur s i n t h e w o r k pl a c e .
but it’s alarming to discover someone they view as infeYou might receive your
more players come out and rior or less powerful then walking papers for doing so,
discuss the shenanigans that themselves. I’ve always said but secretly you’ll have a
take place in the locker time and time again at the satisfaction of not having to
room.
workplace that if you want to deal with such behavior anyThe issue with bullying in put an end to bullying you more. You might even give
the workplace is that the can always take the legal the courage to another ememployee or injured party is route, but it’s likely more sat- ployee to address an issue sesusceptible to this behavior isfying to publicly humiliate cretly brewing in the workover and over again. Some the perpetrator making your place that needs to be
people will say if you don’t life a living hell. There is a stopped. Adults who engage
like what’s happening then problem with both: you’re in such antics in the workquit your job; if only it was inclined to lose your job, place, where it’s in the pubthat simple. Some people plus you become the bully in lic sphere or on a smaller levneed their jobs to provide for a sense. I hate to publicly ad- el, should take a look at
their family, they can’t just mit this, but I am a fan of themselves and ask the quesquit one without having a humiliating the guilty party tions: “Why am I doing this?
back-up for another. To at the workplace. Why? Well, What past atrocities have I
make matters worse it’s an it sends a clear message to encountered that I am forcissue of having to constant- other employees that one: ing someone else to feel my
ly be exposed to the same be- this type of behavior should pain?” Remember, a bully
havior over and over again to not be deemed acceptable typically takes out frustraa superior who appears to & two: its makes the bully re- tions they’re experiencing
relish in the antics they em- alize their actions do indeed on some else, once but that
have consequence, but more problem is indentified, the
ploy.
A bully is someone who importantly they get a taste bullying could indeed be
takes out their frustration on of their own medicine.
stopped.