(no subject)
Apr. 29th, 2016 08:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dolariI'm going to tell you something I don't talk about much, involving the bathroom issue I've been talking about a lot lately. Something I'm not happy to talk about, but goes towards why I'm so passionate about this.
Unless I specifically trust where I am (home, work, certain LGBT friendly venues), I use the men's room. I rush in, and rush right out. Not because I think I should. But because I'm terrified by the actions of people around me after I'm outted. And why would I, a 275 pound, 5 foot seven transwoman, who lives in Washington State, where I have the right to be who I identify with, be afraid?
Because at a Fire Bowl Cafe in Austin, a child screamed out "There was a man in the bathroom!" to a crowded dining room full of people. And suddenly, the dinner I'd been waiting to be served was in a to-go box, with a suggestion that I move along.
Because the Texas Department of Public Safety fired me from a job four hours into it because I used a woman's restroom. I was then told by the recruiter that I should have disclosed "you were a man" when I was interviewed, sight unseen, over EMail.
Because XBox Live support fired me from a job for standing up for myself, when a woman complained "I was doing something wierd in the bathroom" (which was peeing, thank you very much.)
Because a woman tried to have me arrested at a Cinemark movie theater for no other reason than I was in there at the same time with her. And I ran as fast my legs could take me.
I'm terrified because I've always been chased out of bathrooms. Denied services because of bathrooms. Had jobs ended because of bathrooms.
I live in Washington State, now, where I'm (currently) protected from these things by law AND I AM STILL TERRIFIED. But if defeating these bathroom bills makes others even a little less terrified, gives them a little more protection from frivolous claims, and allows us to keep some of the dignity that people keep thinking we do not deserve, then, by god, I'm going to keep talking about it.
We are not scapegoats. Not stepping stones to an easy political victory because your party is having a bad year. We are flesh and blood people, deserving of kindness and dignity.
Unless I specifically trust where I am (home, work, certain LGBT friendly venues), I use the men's room. I rush in, and rush right out. Not because I think I should. But because I'm terrified by the actions of people around me after I'm outted. And why would I, a 275 pound, 5 foot seven transwoman, who lives in Washington State, where I have the right to be who I identify with, be afraid?
Because at a Fire Bowl Cafe in Austin, a child screamed out "There was a man in the bathroom!" to a crowded dining room full of people. And suddenly, the dinner I'd been waiting to be served was in a to-go box, with a suggestion that I move along.
Because the Texas Department of Public Safety fired me from a job four hours into it because I used a woman's restroom. I was then told by the recruiter that I should have disclosed "you were a man" when I was interviewed, sight unseen, over EMail.
Because XBox Live support fired me from a job for standing up for myself, when a woman complained "I was doing something wierd in the bathroom" (which was peeing, thank you very much.)
Because a woman tried to have me arrested at a Cinemark movie theater for no other reason than I was in there at the same time with her. And I ran as fast my legs could take me.
I'm terrified because I've always been chased out of bathrooms. Denied services because of bathrooms. Had jobs ended because of bathrooms.
I live in Washington State, now, where I'm (currently) protected from these things by law AND I AM STILL TERRIFIED. But if defeating these bathroom bills makes others even a little less terrified, gives them a little more protection from frivolous claims, and allows us to keep some of the dignity that people keep thinking we do not deserve, then, by god, I'm going to keep talking about it.
We are not scapegoats. Not stepping stones to an easy political victory because your party is having a bad year. We are flesh and blood people, deserving of kindness and dignity.
