Tamar G. Pennsylvania

Transgender Bathrooms

A letter discussing transgender bathrooms and gender neutral bathrooms.

To the Next President:

First of all, congratulations to making it to the White House! I am sure that you will be very busy, but I ask that you take some time to consider an issue important to me, even if it doesn’t directly affect me at all.

Recently, a case made its way to the Supreme Court. The case involves a seventeen year old transgender boy who would like to use the male bathroom. A lower court ruled in favor of the boy, but the court temporarily stayed the decision for an appeal by the school board.

I agree with the original ruling. Transgender students should be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice. If a person identifies as a specific gender, they should be allowed to use that bathroom. A person should feel comfortable using a public restroom, no matter which restroom it is.

Recently, my grandfather, who’s an architect, designed a building with unisex bathrooms. There is almost no difference, except for a change in toilet seat height and added length to the bottom and top of a stall. These small changes make the bathroom more comfortable for both genders.

In our school, there is a unisex bathroom available in the nurse’s office. While I think this is a step in the right direction, it does not address the whole issue. Not only should transgender students be able to use the bathroom of their choice, but another option entirely should be added.

A third bathroom should be added to public places: a gender neutral bathroom, with more than a single stall. This option would enable not only transgender persons, but people transitioning from one gender to another, or people that don’t identify as either gender, or identify as both genders.

I think that it’s important to make all people feel comfortable. That’s why a gender neutral bathroom is important. It would allow anyone to use the bathroom, regardless of how they identify.

I ask you, as president, to raise awareness on this issue. I believe that transgender rights are important in 2016, and I hope that you do as well.

Again, congratulations on making it to the White House. Thank you for taking the time to read, or have some of your staff read my letter.

Sincerely,

Tamar G., future US citizen

Note: The source used for the supreme court article was http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/28/politics/supreme-court-takes-up-transgender-school-bathroom-case/

Bala Cynwyd Middle School

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