Public Schools and transgender bathrooms.

Farawyn · May 13, 2016

Now, now, you know this is going to open up the can o' worms.

I have 2 kids here that openly identify as TG. They are younger, middle school. One female, one male.

Truthfully, I don't know how comfortable THEY will feel going into a different bathroom. They are 13.

I will cross that bridge when the road leads there, but I will try to support the kids, both the TG and the Cisgendered. That's my role as the nurse in this situation, I'm thinking.

Also, I anticipate them using MY bathroom when they get older. Which is fine with me.

My Principal and APs will support. The parents will be a mixed bag.

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · May 13, 2016

My guess is that kids will be a lot more chilled out about it than adults.

Flare, ASN, BSN · May 13, 2016

i don't think it will change much in my school. the one or two students that may id as the opposite gender that already come in and ask to use my bathroom may still not feel empowered enough to start using the bathroom of the gender they id with. So i think they will still quietly ask to use my bathroom. This whole thing's a big step. It will help and empower some. It will open some up to further harassment and bullying.

kidzcare · May 13, 2016

I have not discussed this with my administration and I don't think it would fall onto the nurses to enforce.

I imagine that it would mirror the reaction of the nation. Many in favor of and many opposed. The loudest and most extreme opinions on either side will be the ones seen/heard by the masses.

zombieghoast · May 13, 2016

I think the younger generation will have no issues. I have heard of high schools having a genderless bathroom where boys and girls can use it and there has been no problems.

It should be noted that in every other country restrooms are often shared with both genders. The have been no crimes of trans people assaulting people while more trans people have been assaulted in the bathroom.

Flare, ASN, BSN · May 13, 2016

i agree - i don't think this is our territory to enforce... but you know who whey will come sniffing around for when this issue heats up.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · May 13, 2016

Our U.S. government has been very pro LGBT for almost all of Obama's term of office. Our pro-LGBT government did a census where they found 1 in 2,400 Americans identify themselves as being transgender. That's 1 in 2,400 Americans who have a belief system they were born in the wrong body/sex.

Nurses are life long students of nursing science. Through nursing and medical science we already know sex change operations do not change one's DNA / chromosomes. A male who goes into surgery to be made to look like (not become) a female will not menstruate, ovulate, or be able to bear children. A female who has surgery to be made to look like (not become) a male will not be able to produce viable sperm to impregnate a female.

So the issue comes down to an extremely small (1 in 2,400 people) group of people asking to use showers, bathrooms, and other facilities opposite of their biological sex (and keep in mind they still have the exact same biological sex -- DNA / chromosomes -- if they have a cosmetic operation to look like the opposite sex). I'm pointing out numbers because a number of sources will (hopefully it is unintentional) lie stating we've been sharing such facilities all the long in our life time when the fact is it would take thousands of such events in order to come across the 1 in 2,400 that truly believes they were born in the wrong body/sex.

Now, the real issue becomes the sad fact there are far more sex offenders (including would be offenders) than the 1 in 2,400 transgenders who desire to look like the opposite sex (they cannot become the opposite sex -- only look the part, even with surgery). These sex offenders will look for every single opportunity, and will take advantage of any door opened (no pun intended) for or to them. In addition, there are always going to be far more bullies that will use any opportunity to abuse others who don't share their point of view.

So the entire idea of trying to change policy which helps (doesn't guarantee; it helps) privacy and safety for an extremely small group of people doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. I think this is a dangerous turn.

Rprillwitz · May 13, 2016

I haven't thought about this. This is an interesting question.

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · May 13, 2016

Our U.S. government has been very pro LGBT for almost all of Obama's term of office. Our pro-LGBT government did a census where they found 1 in 2,400 Americans identify themselves as being transgender.
The emphasis on "pro LGBT" (term used twice) may imply to some that you feel they should be "anti".

grammy1 · May 13, 2016

We had a transgender student at our school about 8 years ago, she always came to the clinic to use the bathroom because she knew I would not give her any hassles about it. We have one this year who used to use the girls room, but since she has had her hair buzzed and is now wearing boys clothes, she (he??), comes into the clinic also. The current student has never made any comment or stated being transgender, it is just accepted without anything being said. The kids deal with it better than a lot of the adults.

imintrouble, BSN, RN · May 13, 2016

i agree - i don't think this is our territory to enforce... but you know who whey will come sniffing around for when this issue heats up.

I'd thought the same thing. I don't see this issue as a nurse responsibility, but I consider it inevitable that you'll be pulled into it. If transgender students already use the school nurse bathroom, then you are in effect already involved.

It's so complicated.

My fourteen year old self would have been horrified to see a boy/man in the restroom with me.

But that's more than 40 years ago.

I doubt my grown daughter would have been upset.

My granddaughters probably won't think anything at all.