Bathroom Policing in Europe

Dear Let Us Pee,

I was touring with a band through Germany when we stopped at a gas station to pee. As the three of us all went into the women's room, the bathroom guardian (presumably there to make sure no one jumps over or ducks under the turn style to pay the 50 cent toll) opens the door behind us and yells something to the extent of "you can't go in here! This is the women's room!" Being a transwoman, I froze and panicked, having never been outed in a bathroom before. But to my surprise, it was my cissexual friend that I had come in with that the man was barking at. "Ich bin eine Frau! Frau! Frau!" she yells back, pointing to her chest. He left before I saw whether he was embarrassed or not. This was the first of 7 times that she was yelled at for using the women's room in the course of six weeks across many western European countries. And I've come to learn that often times, people who clean toilets for a living, are unhappy people waiting to exercise the little bit of power they believe they have.

Sincerely,

Bathroom policing still sounds the same in German

Bathroom Art

Dear Let Us Pee Fans

We are deviating from our usually stories to bring you a bit of bathroom inspired art from a loyal fan.

Sincerely

Staff of Let Us Pee

Artist Statement:

The inspiration for this project came when I was in Austria in 2006 for short-term study abroad. Someone said, “The bathroom signs are so different, we should take pictures of them.” I took the idea and ran with it. The photos did not begin to form a project until I heard about the call for art for this year’s Vagina Monologues. The bathroom signs are from Austria, Spain, Simmons, Phoenix and Nicaragua. The women, girls and gender-bending people (and baby boy) are from the US and Nicaragua. They are black, white, Asian, Latino/a, multiracial, single, married, divorced, widowed, partnered, underweight, overweight, disabled, able-bodied, gay, lesbian, straight, pansexual, bisexual, adopted, immigrant, wealthy, poor, middle-class and much more. This piece is meant to provoke thought on what it means to be female, and the meanings behind these signs that separate and exclude for the purposes of our most basic needs.

Dear Let Us Pee,

There was a time when I was a child and two girls climbed onto the toilet seat in the stall next to me to peek in on me as I did my business. Sure they were innocent little children but their laughing and pointing and complete invasion of my private space still gives me the shivers.

Sincerely,

Shame on me for being a woman and having to pee!

Dear Let Me Pee,

Not quite a bathroom story but...

So, back in high school, I had short hair. One day, I was walking into the girls' locker room to change for Physical Education (P.E.) when the security guard posted at the door grabbed me and said "Just where do you think you're going?" I looked at her confusedly and said "To change?" The moment I spoke, she realized I was a girl and fumbled an apology. That in of itself wouldn't have been so bad, but after P.E. was over, she came looking for me in the locker room and gave me a hug and started apologizing profusely in front of everybody, while I was trying to change. It was uncomfortable and awkward beyond belief.

Sincerely,

Hair length does not equal gender

"Use your own bathroom"

"Use Your Own Bathroom" U People Story (01.08.7) - Click here for another funny movie.

In men's room

Dear Let Us Pee,

Ironically, I was never given any trouble using the women's room when I transitioned to my correct gender even very early on in transition I had no problem fitting in whilst in the powder room. However that being said, as a 5'2" tall and 110 lbs "man" with long hair I would routinely be given trouble whenever I was in the men's room. This went on even before I ever had any plans to transition.

I always knew I wanted to be a woman, but being that I went to a Christian private school I had no idea that there was any possible way to transition effectively until College Biology classes. But my gender identity issues did cause me to choose to wear my hair long and I also often wore ear-ring(s). Many times while I was standing at the urinal or washing my hands I would have a man question if he was in the right place or if I was. And at one point while I was actually peeing at a urinal I was asked to leave the bathroom and building entirely because two men questioned if I "truly was a man" and the owner "didn't want any trouble." I figured he meant they were so disturbed that he couldn't keep me safe so I left.

Again, I find it comical looking back at it, because many of my brothers and sisters in the trans world have issues after transition in the bathroom, I for one, had trouble in the bathroom as a Cis person. Overall I see it as one more point of proof I now truly am the person God meant for me to be.

Sincerely,

I was trying to use the bathroom society told me to use at the time

Washroom follies

Dear Let Us Pee,

When I was in a a women's trades program, we pretty much had to dress in a way that let us practice carpentry and plumbing. And a woman followed me out of the washroom and interrogated me, not believing that I was female.

This is pretty mild. Because I avoid washrooms in malls, and anywhere that serves alcohol (and if I can't pee there, I won't shop there), and because I live in a progressive city and because my body language is only semi-androgynous, this is the worst story I have.

Some of my friends have been hit in the head with grocery bags. One had security phoned on her. Another used a washroom in a pub with other women. This guy only gave her a dirty look at first, but after the pub closed, he followed her outside where he started screaming "faggot" and trying to punch her.

Sincerely,

If I can't pee safely, I won't shop at your store. And neither will any of my friends.