cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/65235734
On August 8, police arrived on the scene of Long Branch Lagoon Water Park in Dodge City, Kansas, to the sight of three self-described “bearded, burly men” who had been in the women’s bathroom and changing area. The manager of the municipally run property allegedly screamed and rushed children out the door.
The men knew this was likely. They didn’t agitate any of the women; they didn’t remove their clothes or make crass comments. They simply used the gendered spaces that the state of Kansas requires them to use by law, because these men are transgender.
“Supporters of SB244, including Attorney General Kris Kobach and Senate Majority Leader Ty Masterson, billed it as a way to keep men out of women’s spaces; it clearly requires some men to enter women’s spaces,” a press release sent to news outlets reads. So, these men took action—using malicious compliance to prove their point.
“Segregating people by suspected genitalia does nothing to improve public safety; it does quite the opposite by opening Kansans up to sexual harassment and discrimination. At no point should anyone be asking anyone else what genitals they have in public.”
The men, dressed in yellow “Compliance Crew” shirts, were part of a small group of trans-masculine Kansans who used the women’s room at facilities across the state that day in a coordinated action. They were also spotted at a zoo, a library, a museum, and other parks. They were in Emporia, Great Bend, Garden City, and Dodge City. At the library, at least one patron complained; at other places, the men used the bathroom and received dirty looks, and simply left the space without confrontation.
But at Long Branch Lagoon, members of the Kansas Compliance Crew resorted to having to describe their genitals to police in order to resolve the matter and avoid arrest.
“The men had a discussion with the manager and police and explained the situation, including uncomfortable descriptions of their bodies,” the press release said. Furthermore, both the manager and the police reportedly said “they had never heard of SB244 nor been notified by any government entity of its passage.”
“I could easily continue using the men’s restroom under the radar,” said Ray Vieux, who participated as one of the demonstrators.
It’s strange people of a different sex can’t wash their hands next to each other.
Also there really no difference between the picture/layout above and going to a concert and seeing this.
Communal sinks and seperate “stalls”.
It’s not so much about washing hands next to each other itself, but rather that that never happens here. Either you wash your hands alone or next to somebody your gender. It feels weird because bathrooms have become safe spaces of sorts for each gender, that are enclosed rooms.
At a concert the bathroom area is just the entire concert area and then the bathrooms. In the coed bathrooms pictured above the sinks are located in what is very much still “The bathroom”.
It’s not that there’s anything actually wrong with the coed design, but it’s just sort of a culture shock thing. It feels weird to me because it’s a novel situation I hadn’t ever found myself in before. I would also argue that people wouldn’t like it because of that alternate usage bathrooms have evolved to be, which is that gender-separated safe space. A small group of women could separate from the men they’re with and have a private conversation at a social venue for example.
Preserving this is not worth perpetuating a strict gender binary.
I’ve known people who don’t even feel comfortable walking by a person of a different gender as they exit a restroom.
Those people are fucking weird and need to grow up.