Quick test: You really have to pee. Which bathroom do you use, the one with the stick figure on the door, or the one with the stick figure and the little triangle?

 

OK, now which bathroom should this guy use?

He was born female, but now he’s a contender for Men’s Health cover model. Everybody’s gotta pee sometimes. Where would you send him?

 

OK, then how about this guy? The US Army says he’s a woman, but he disagrees. Which restroom would you like him to use?

 

Or how about this guy? He was born female. Would you insist he use the ladies room?

 

On the other, uh, sex, this is Laverne Cox, one of the breakout stars of Orange Is The New Black. Where should she go to pee? She was born male, so would you point her to the men’s room?

 

Or how about this woman? Does she look like she’d fit in the men’s room? Would she be safe there?

 

Or how about this woman. Raise your hand if you think she should be using the mens room.

 

The idea of transgender people using bathrooms is one of those issues that should not be complicated.

Everyone needs to pee where they feel most comfortable. And when faced with the gender-sorted bathrooms, people should use the gender-labeled space that fits the gender they are expressing.

It is true this may make some people uncomfortable, but, well, lets all be nice to each other out there, people. And remember, bathrooms are not sacred spaces, their primary role is hygiene – just a place where we can drop the kids off at the pool, adjust ourselves with a bit of privacy, maybe wash our face if the paper towel rack hasn’t gone all empty again, and then head back into the world with a renewed sense of relief.

 

Or we could just change the signs…