Case in point, back in December Starbucks faced some major backlash over their coffee cups just being "red". I mean I kept hearing they've put christmas symbols on their cups since 1997. But really since when are snowflakes and ice skates symbols of Christmas? They signify WINTER! A season! that's about it!
Now there's the whole Target and transgender bathroom scandal. UGH. Feelings are strong on both sides of the issue. Supporters of the new laws are reminded occasions where grown transgendered men with genitalia have attempted to use public bathrooms with little girls and women. Those fears are based on instances where men have entered women's bathrooms taking video footage or pictures of women and girls, having raped or exposed themselves in the restrooms.
I personally, know that I will no longer be using the restroom at Target anymore. That doesn't make me a racist or gender hater. It just means when I take a piss or shit, I expect only women to be in the bathroom. That is my right and since Target wants well men who think they are women or whatever you want to call it, I am choosing not to use the bathroom anymore there. I am however fearful that this could just be the start I mean what's next elementary schools having boys and girls using the same bathroom at the same time? Or airports? Come on!
Is Target right in making this decision? Will you join the boycott because of the restroom drama? I love shopping at Target who doesn't? I can't say I would stop shopping there, but I can say I will stop using the restroom there.
While I've enjoyed reading your blog for as long as you've been writing, this post will be the last I read. I appreciate you voicing your opinion, but it's not one that matches my beliefs.
ReplyDeletePlease remember that transgender people don't want to be in an awkward situation any more than you do. Target's ruling does not mean that men are free to walk into a women's bathroom and do whatever they please. There are still laws protecting women (and men for that matter) from assault, etc. in public places.
Remember that one time we thought it was OK to separate African-Americans from white people because they were "dangerous?" Silly, right?
In fact, the law that North Carolina and other states are trying to pass does the exact opposite. As of now, you may have already shared a restroom with a transgender female and not known it. I guarantee the majority of transgender people look like the gender they want to be. The passing of this law means that a transgender male, who still has a vagina, has to use the women's restroom. The last time I checked, there is no one at the door checking to see if I had a vagina before I used the facilities. This law opens a wider door to the possibilities of men entering the women's restroom.
Children (and adults) have a greater risk of being abused at home by family members, at school (you're a teacher right--I wouldn't assume you were going to touch a young boy just because Mary Kay Letourneau did). I hope you understand that being transgender involves SO MUCH MORE anxiety than just which bathroom to use. Accepting and loving people as they are is something we as a human race need to work on, and if this is one step towards that world, I'm OK with it.
Long story short, go in, use the restroom, wash your hands, mind your own business and others will mind theirs.
As Target's decision is discussed/debated I wish we would ALL remember that voicing your opinion doesn't mean you hate those who disagree with how you feel, it doesn't mean you have to be "offended" and cut people from your friend list just because they view things differently---an opinion is merely how YOU feel about something. Remember, we ALL have the right to RESPECTFULLY voice our thoughts. When did we lose the ability to discuss and disagree without it IMMEDIATELY meaning that one side or the other is "hateful". I remember when we could express our opinion and disagree with others and still RESPECT each other. We need a return to the days of "I hear you, but we will just have to agree to disagree" and then go on with our life!!!!!
DeleteI'm thankful that she took a stand and voiced her opinion on this very controversial matter. It is so frustrating for me to hear that because you don't share in the same views with others, that you IMMEDIATELY write a post that is so condensing and offensive to this blogger. It is only opening a door to something that parents (and for that matter, everyone) should be fearful of. It's sad that this world is moving away from God and more towards pleasing people. If we aren't accepting, we are considered bigots and racists. Quite honestly, I'm sick of it!
Deletelove that you're posting about these! i thought the starbucks thing was plain silly. you are so right! ha! those are winter symbols. the red cups are boring, sure, but whatever. what i think is way worse, that nobody mentions, is that apparently starbucks has said they don't want business from conservatives. like, what?!! aaaand push! like i am going to take my little girl and boy and myself into a bathroom that's just inviting confused men to join us as we expose our privates. that's so backwards it is unreal!
ReplyDeleteI really like that you addressed this issue of how people just seem to BULLY when people's opinions differ from their own. I live in NC: HB2 has turned the world upside down and it is about so much more than who can use which bathroom! That's all they see and know about! It's a widely discriminatory law but no one is talking about the other parts except the damn bathroom issue. No one is talking about the fact that HB2 makes it illegal for local governments to pass laws that specifically veterans or have the ability to raise their local minimum wage; it just made a non-issue a cultural crisis. I can't support it because I work in local government even if I was in favor or the bathroom aspect. No one has ever checked other's parts to know if they're using the right bathroom. Perverts have been sneaking in for years and others have been using restrooms with little to no impact on anyone else. That said, I love Target and it is so close to where I live, I can't imagine not shopping there. It's common knowledge that they're very pro-LGBT so I'm not surprised at their stance on who uses their restrooms; but that hasn't stopped me from shopping there. I like your idea that if it makes you uncomfortable you compromise and just won't use the restroom there. You're not demanding anything from the company because it would make you uncomfortable or making a big ruckus. If more people were willing to compromise instead of wanting to burn anyone who doesn't agree with their opinion at the stake, society would be an easier place to navigate than what it has become. As for the Starbucks cups, I don't drink coffee and if I want hot cocoa, I prefer Caribou. I don't pay much attention to what cup it comes in. I would also like to point out, going back to HB2, the number of musical artists cancelling their shows in protest. They are getting high praise while they screw people out of jobs. Disregard ticket holders who will be reimbursed, what about the little people? And how is it any different than the private businesses that got crucified for not wanting to bake a cake for a gay couple or the pizzeria or whatever? We have a ton of options! If someone's not willing to bake you a cake because you're blue or gay or whatever, go somewhere else! It's the same thing but because the musical world is so pro-choice if it's the right choice, people refuse to see the similarities in the situation. Pearl Jam and Demi Lovato want to boycott NC because of HB2? Good. Who cares? Why don't they put their money where their mouths are and donate money to the cause of reversing the law instead of acting like big babies? Sorry. Rant over. :) I'm glad you're still posting, even if the topics are controversial! ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, and that's a solution I had not thought of. I'm not scared of transgender people. They have a right to be protected as well, which was probably the intention of these laws. However, I'm afraid of people who will take advantage of this law in order to take advantage of others (i.e. - non-trans men using the women's restroom for nefarious purposes). There's got to be a better solution. And you're not a hater for having an OPINION and choosing to refrain from using Target bathrooms for your own reasons. As for the Starbucks controversy - I personally heard of NO ONE who was actually offended by that. It seemed like a made up story by the media to me over nothing. It's an interesting world we live in.
ReplyDeleteI know several people who are now boycotting Target which i think is silly. Honestly, I think there have been many transgender people using the restrooms and we haven't known about it. Also, several people were upset because of sending their young children into the bathroom at Target. Again, as a parent I wouldn't send my young child into the bathroom alone. Every Target I've been into has a family restroom anyway. I'll continue to shop and use the facilities at Target. For me it just doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for posting in this- I too will no longer use the restrooms at Target but I also have limited my shopping with them since the security breech all those years ago. Because of them I had to get 2 new debit cards back to back, at that time, and that kind of thing doesn't settle well with me. So Target has lost my biz for other reasons. BUT I am not in favor of their restroom decision!!!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for posting this, I have been wanting to write a post like this for a while. And I also agree, I will not be shopping at Target for a while. I know transgender people may have been using the bathrooms for a while but with the new policy, they are allowing the door to be open to predators. Just one more place I have to worry about being safe. Also, I agree about what you said in the comments, just because we disagree with something doesn't mean we hate or we are bigots or racists. When did saying how we feel/our opinions become offense? Can't we all just agree to disagree??
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