Imagine yourself entering a bustling public restroom, your footsteps muted by the hum of whispers and rustling. The sensation of being scrutinized envelops you, and you feel as if the weight of the world is pressing against your shoulders. It is not because of an inadvertent error on your part, but a mere expression of your authentic self. This poignant reality, which reads like a passage from a gripping novel, is a day-to-day struggle for countless individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those who are transgender or non-binary.
The simple act of using a public restroom, a necessity for human existence, becomes an ordeal steeped in anxiety and trepidation. As a society that has leaped into the 21st century, it is imperative, now more than ever, that we rise to the occasion, arm ourselves with knowledge, and dispel the fog of myths clouding the discourse on LGBTQ+ inclusivity in public toilets.
A Closer Look at the Myths
Safety Concerns for Cisgender Individuals
One myth that has gained traction is the belief that transgender individuals using toilets that match their gender identity endangers the safety of cisgender people. However, research and statistics resoundingly debunk this myth. In reality, transgender individuals are more likely to be victims of violence in bathrooms. In a survey from the National Center for Transgender Equality, where 27,715 people were surveyed, the results found that approximately 12% of transgender people were verbally harassed in public restrooms, 1% were physically attacked, and 1% were sexually assaulted.
Transgender People as Predators
A deeply harmful and baseless myth is that transgender individuals are likely to be sexual predators. Not only is this notion unfounded, but it also perpetuates a stigma that can have devastating effects on the mental health of transgender people.
Gender-neutral Toilets and Privacy
Contrary to the misconception that gender-neutral toilets mean open spaces lacking privacy, they are actually designed with individual stalls ensuring privacy and security for all. For women, these spaces can also mean more availability of toilets – as any woman who has stood in line to go to an overcrowded bathroom in a stadium can attest, the ratio of toilets for men and women is greatly skewed. By embracing gender neutral bathrooms, we can all get to the toilet sooner.
The Misconception of Choice
Some harbor the incorrect belief that being transgender or non-binary is a choice. Think about how much easier it would be, if it were a choice – if you were a man who felt like they were trapped in a woman’s body, and you could ‘choose’ to feel like a man, then wouldn’t it make your way through the world that much easier? Wouldn’t you ‘choose’ to be a man when it suited you? Especially when it is something as basic as choosing which toilet to enter?
This is far from the truth. Gender identity is a fundamental aspect of a person’s sense of self. It is a reality that many of us don’t (or can’t) identify with, because we have the privilege of being born into bodies that biologically echo our identities. We’ve never had to struggle with the dysmorphia that comes from looking in a mirror, and not seeing ourselves reflected there. Respecting and accepting this is essential to human dignity.
Transgender Individuals and Disabled Toilets
Suggesting that transgender individuals should only use disabled toilets is not only stigmatizing but also overlooks their rights to use public facilities aligned with their gender identity. Being trans or non-binary isn’t a disability; it’s an identity. Why would we ask them to use disabled toilets?
Cost Concerns
The argument that accommodating inclusivity in public toilets is cost-prohibitive is short-sighted. Toilets are a public good. In a country like India, where we have made it our mission to ensure that every single Indian has access to a toilet, the costs outweigh the social implications. Having access to a safe toilet keeps all of us safe – from attack, sexual predation, and disease.
When any one of us goes to the toilet in the open, it brings down a disease burden on us all. When any single one of us is attacked or sexually violated, it raises the possibility of a similar crime being perpetrated on all of us. What would we rather pay for? Toilets, or remedying the harm that comes from not having them?
Authenticity of Gender Identity
Questioning the authenticity of transgender individuals’ gender identity is both demeaning and invalidating. It takes us back to the misconception that gender identity and biology are the same. If you identify as cisgender, it is because you were told you were a boy or a girl, from birth. Your identity as a boy or a girl formed through these identifications and through the resounding validation that came from within, that confirmed your identity.
Transgender and non-binary people were given the same messages, but that inner voice didn’t validate that identity. It isn’t easy to stand up to a world that identifies you one way. It takes enormous courage to affirm one’s identity in the face of such opposition: social, familial and societal. It’s not a step that anyone takes lightly. It has taken a lot of work for someone to come out, and present their authentic self to the world. It’s a struggle that most of us have bypassed, and hence, have no window to.
And yet, we know who we are. Why is it so surprising then that trans and non-binary people would know who they are too?
The Toilet That Transforms Lives
India has witnessed tremendous strides in the realm of sanitation over the past 5-8 years. The Swachh Bharat Mission has been the harbinger of this change, constructing millions of toilets across the country to ensure that dignity and hygiene are not just words but tangible realities for everyone that calls India home.
Amongst the sea of voices that have felt empowered by this change, the LGBTQ+ community resonates with a unique poignancy. For them, the public toilets are not just about convenience, they are sanctuaries of safety, and an acknowledgment of their existence. The heart longs for a time when transgender and non-binary individuals can walk into these spaces without anxiety and judgment. But like any journey of change, it has its own set of bends and twists.
The brick and mortar are in place, but the open hearts needed to embrace them are still under construction.
Harpic, a brand that has nestled itself in the hearts of the Indian households as a synonym for cleanliness, decided to don the cape of change. Understanding the importance of both inclusivity and cleanliness, Harpic makes products that cater to everyone in our diverse and beautiful country, including the LGBTQ+ community.
Harpic also realized that working together makes change even stronger. That’s why, three years ago, Harpic joined hands with News18 to start Mission Swachhta aur Paani. This project is not just about keeping toilets clean; it’s about showing love, acceptance, and support for each other. Through advocacy for the transgender and non-binary community, Mission Swachhta aur Paani illuminates the importance of inclusive public toilets.
Conclusion
And so, as the waves of acceptance continue to erode the cliffs of prejudice, let us pick up the oars and navigate towards a shore where acceptance is absolute. Through dialogue and educational campaigns like Mission Swachhta aur Paani, let’s build a society that knows no ‘other,’ but only ‘us.’
To know more about how you can play a part in this national conversation, join us here.
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