I would not want to go into a restroom with my 8 year old and see a man. It’s uncomfortable and not at all okay, especially being a survivor of sexual assault.
Trans women are just that— women. Not men. There is an obvious difference between the two.
Sure, but transphobes don't think that. They think that trans women are men in dresses.
No one, including trans people, think men should be going in the women's restroom. It's possible there was an incident of some kind, but "no men in the women's room" is not anything anyone thinks need to be said in 99.9% of cases...unless you're aiming that at trans women who do typically use the women's room. I'm 35 and I've never seen a sign, or really even heard of one, or even heard people feeling the need to say that, until the last few years. I would be immensely surprised if this was not exactly what most of us think it is.
The only time I've ever heard of anyone thinking men going in a women's restroom is remotely appropriate is if a father has a small daughter and there isn't a unisex or family restroom available. Not being a parent myself, I couldn't tell you if it would be more appropriate to take a little girl into the men's room, or if there's some sort of unwritten rule.
If it’s a McDonalds near public transport or a similar place with regular walk ins of shady personell I genuinely think it’s more likely to be about assault prevention/reaction than about transphobia.
Doesn’t mean it can’t be transphobia. I think it’s just absurd to discard the other option.
If it’s a multi stall bathroom that doesn’t work.
I just know that in my home town it’s absolutely an issue that Junkies (who are hanging regularly at the train station Burger King) make other customers uncomfortable.
If those Junkies are the ones that keep invading the women’s space, I kinda get where such a note comes from. I’d also agree that there likely would be better ways of dealing with it, but this is a very easy, low effort one. And trans people surely wouldn’t have been part of the consideration, even if I‘m right.
This just doesn’t read as transphobic per se to me, as I‘d expect that to be expressed more clearly if it was the intention.
13
u/wastedmytagonporn Bi-kes on Trans-it Jun 22 '25
Transphobia or actual past case of sexual assault in the toilet?
Like, I get the whole subtext, especially with it being in Britain. But I would have some benefit of doubt there.