Serious Question For Transgenders

[Whigg]

moonlily144

Someone did point out to me once that it could be dangerous for females, since the males might attempt rape due to it being an enclosed space without supervision.

If a guy's capable of raping someone, I highly doubt a sign on a door is going to stop him. >_>;
He'd already be breaking a law in raping someone, not to mention doing something extremely morally wrong. I don't think etiquette's an issue to him. xD "I feel like brutally assaulting a woman today. Oh, but there's a sign on the door saying I can't go in." He'd probably just go into the woman's bathroom anyway. Jeffrey Dahmer, after killing his first victim, didn't pack him in the car and go 'okay, obeying the speed limit now'. If you're willing to break one law of that magnitude, a little offense isn't going to be much for you.
That aside, there are plenty of other places where rape can occur. There are large chunks of time at my school where males and females are wandering the halls without any security guards in certain places, and there are ways to duck past the cameras. Me and my girlfriend last year found a spot without cameras or security guards where we could make out- a guy could probably drag a girl there after school and rape her, if he wanted. If you're gonna get a**l about preventing it, you'll have to have males in female in different schools, too, or something.
Plus, a man could sexually assault another man in a bathroom, or a woman could a woman- there are so many 'could's involved. I haven't heard many stories of either of those occurring, but a Google search for 'rape in unisex bathroom' just brought up a lot more 'if's and 'could's and 'allegedly's. It seems really hypothetical to me.
So I find that argument silly.

 

[KeKeKe!]

It doesn't usually become a big deal unless something really obvious goes on, like a real butch guy goes into the womens room. If you are dressed how you feel and you just walk in and use the restroom and people will assume you belong there. At worst they might think you're odd looking. Most people aren't willing to risk the social awkwardness, and most establishments aren't willing to risk the social repercussions of bothering you, even if you are suspicious to them. The bottom line is basically, if you're trying, people don't pay that much attention. Also in many places you can get legal recognition as the other sex before actual surgery. I feel like I said a huge mouthful lol  

[Whigg]

KeKeKe!

It doesn't usually become a big deal unless something really obvious goes on, like a real butch guy goes into the womens room. If you are dressed how you feel and you just walk in and use the restroom and people will assume you belong there. At worst they might think you're odd looking. Most people aren't willing to risk the social awkwardness, and most establishments aren't willing to risk the social repercussions of bothering you, even if you are suspicious to them. The bottom line is basically, if you're trying, people don't pay that much attention. Also in many places you can get legal recognition as the other sex before actual surgery. I feel like I said a huge mouthful lol

This actually made me feel better, so your mouthful is cool with me, personally xD  

[Bridget Paloumar]

Thank you to everyone who's replied. I know it may have sounded really weird, but I really don't know much of anything about the T part of our community, and I'm a very curious person by nature. All of the input's been really helping to sate some of the aforementioned curiosity. ^.^  

[Kiddgreen]

Do you maybe mean transexuals?
gender is what you are in your head, sex is what your anatomy is.
but if you did mean transgender, they use whatever they feel comfortable with- at least in my area.
I have no problem walking into the men's bathroom if the women's is full. I always go to the woman's first, but if it's not a straight up urinal, I don't see what women can't use the guy's bathroom. I've always thought of myself in guy terms and my friends do as well. No one ever really questions when I make decisions like that.
So I guess my answer in all seriousness is- it depends on the person.  

[Tzagnos Zorba]

Bridget Paloumar

After re-reading this, perhaps I should clarify a point. Perhaps the question I should have posed is how are transgenders legally viewed? Because if a guy goes into a girls' bathroom, he's going to get into all kinds of trouble. But if he's a MTF transgender, would said person be considered (under the law) a he or a she?

Here's the way it is - regardless of what the law says a MTF who still can't pass is going to be viewed as a man in a dress using the women's restroom - and this is a bad thing. This is why it's so important for MTF's to be able to pass. It can be really hard for MTF's to transition in public that is to say there isn't always a neutral restroom at the work place and not all workplaces especially in some states are Trans accepting. Legally however at least in the better states - an appropriate restroom MUST be made available to the transgender who is in transition that means they MUST allow an MTF to use the women's restroom - however some I know have been forced to use just one restroom in a building often on a different floor from where the work. It's really sad that sometimes we have to have lawyers involved to get people to accept that yes even transgenders have to use the restroom sometimes and no they should Not be discriminated against.

For FTM's it's a whole lot easier! The thing is - and this is just plain honesty here Men don't make eye contact in the rest room - they don't stare another men's hair or moobs (man boobs) or anything else - it's bad form (unless you're at a gay event). They're also not threatened by the presence of a woman in the mens' restroom the way women are threatened by what they percieve as man in the women's restroom. Also phobic men will generally not bully a FTM they way they will an MTF - this is generality and not a rule. It's harder for an FTM to actually transition but easier for them to pass and blend in and be pretty unnoticable.

Legally -the issue is what ever is on your diver's license. If it says you're Male then your male - if it says Female then you're female and yes you need to get a court of law involved to get that changed and a physician as well.  

[C9100]

well... for me... it was really awkard the first time i used a womens public bathroom... it was in disney... i was so nervous... i had a *chest* so i couldnt just walk into the mens room... luckily no one noticed me sweating bullets  

[godoftherain]

I think the bottom line is "whatever you can get away with."
If you are male, and look feminine enough to be able to get in, and get out, without issues, then go to the female washroom. and vice versa.  

[Sai-chibitalia]

Right now, even when I dress in my masculine clothes, I always doubt myself when I past the bathrooms. I've gotten weird looks from girls washing their hands but I feel I look too feminine to use the man's just yet.

I just past the boy's bathroom with that longing look.

 

[Emerald Zombie]

I think you have to go to court to legally claim sex change. So once you are female(using mtf example) you go to women's restroom. If you look like female so much, who is going to know, you're in a stall. Unless someone is snooping, legally that could also be illegal to be a peeping Tom. Just use the one you'd feel more comfortable in? I once used a male bathroom because female was taken and I had to go. It was a one person bathroom though. Men were shocked I went in there and came out so relaxed, I was shocked too... xD
But I don't know what other male bathrooms look like, that one was gross though.  

[XxSonjaNicoleDominatrixX]

i'm a going to be transgender and i think i would start using the females bathroom as i start the treatments!!!^-^