A Wry Assessment Of Shopping Mall Restrooms During Shopping Season

[VickySGV]

Yesterday was an absolute must to get my acrylic nails filled and one replaced due to some nail fungus issues I could see through a spot where I had accidently removed the nail polish. My nail salon is in one of the So, Calif major shopping malls and yesterday was Veterans Day which is the sneak preview of the holiday shopping season, also kids off school and a motion picture complex in the mall equals one heckuva crowd.

An added note to this story is that this mall attracts folks from one of the conservative hotbed locations that had extensive coverage by the petition gatherers that claim they have enough signatures to qualify a repeal initiative of a Trans* rights at schools bill for a general vote of the public in 2014. A resident male lawyer and repeal proponent who made some local news rag pages declaring young "males" in womens restrooms was an affront to his diety has been cited on other TG web sites was cited as a local hero there. (I hold my breath as I drive through that area).

A good lunch with three large glasses of iced tea (unsweetened) and then the hour in the nail salon having to sit and keep my hands still while the nails are worked on and polish dried, and I needed to hit the women's room for one of life's necessities. I was number twelve in line before going in the dog leg entry way when I got there. The woman in the second spot in front of me had two cis males of approximately 4 to 6 years old in tow headed into the ladies room. As we moved forward to where I could see inside the actual doorway, I counted another 12 young cis-male urchins, with buzz cuts or obvious male hair cuts, and even a couple with near sexist T shirts on. Only one similar age cis female was in the line with an older sister. At one point before I got in to use a toilet, every stall in that restroom had a young age cis male in it albeit with parent (I think ??).

Upon exiting the womens' room where I smiled and was helpful to one of the mothers, and to another lady about to drop her bags, with nary a suspicious look or question of my right to be there, I saw where all the 4-6 year old cis females were. They were in a line going toward the men's room with whom I hoped were fathers or known male relatives. There were almost NO cis male young ones headed that way. Sheer statistical numbers tell me that there was at least one bathroom odd couple in each restroom from Conservativeville. There was no outrage and no evidence of societal crumbling and debauchery going on it seemed. So where was this attorney with angst of a diety to proclaim at parents? Probably at home with a beer that his religious leader would join him for and then denounce from a pulpit the next day, while his spouse was taking their 6 year old son into a mall ladies room because they do not trust the men in that room. The young cis males in the women's room were not interested in seeing crotch anatomy, they just had to GO. I suppose it was the same way down the hall. (I would not have wanted to hit on one of the men I saw there.

The point is that these children are the same age that some of our profile young Trans* people who are now coming out are. One of the cis boy's in my line avoided the looks from the one young girl, and was not curious about what she looked like underneath.

I ended up the day with $60 worth of cosmetics from Sephora as I was mulling over the bathroom scenes I had seen again.

[Guest LizMarie]

The Pacific Justice Institute and other such hate groups are deliberately trying to sexualize young children's usage of the rest room. That's the story in a nutshell, Vicky. By painting every 6 year old or 11 year old transgirl as a potential rapist, they incite irrational fears, leading to much stupidity and, more importantly, lots of political dollar contributions to the hate groups.

In the end, that's what this is all about. PJI and others aren't in this for any real moral reasons. They are in this for power and money.

There's more that should be said about this entire bathroom law nonsense but I won't say it here.

[Charlize]

Vicki, I think that story might make a good letter to the editor, but maybe just don't mention you are trans. On second thought maybe state that as well.

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest KimberlyF]

I've often noticed that people who prejudge whole large groups as one seem to flock together and feed off of each other. They'll make numerous suppositions and spread many half truths because they lack self-esteem and/or self-worth so they try to find it by pushing down others while in the safety of a supportive environment.

[Guest Mia J]

I have never had a second glance when using the ladies rest room. On the other hand I can imagine what would happen if I went into the men's room.

PJI is truly a hate group. I wonder what they think goes on in a women's restroom? They must have very dirty minds or some mixed up fantasies.

Mia

[Guest DianeATL]

Vicky,

This post is so ridiculous. Everyone knows that the minute women walk into their restroom, they completely disrobe and run around naked in the public area. And everyone knows that if someone with physical equipment other than theirs walks in, they will be there for one thing only, to have sex and destroy society. <removing tongue from cheek now>

Great points. I remember having to take my daughter to a men's room at a basketball game where she was at that awkward age of being too young to go by herself but too curious about what those men were doing standing along the wall. I ushered her quickly into a stall and got back out as quickly as possible but in fact was guilty of taking a wrong gender into the washroom.

Having been in a few ladies rooms, I can say there is nothing to see. Maybe primping their hair or make up but nothing in the general area. If someone did go in and invade the private space of the stall, then they should be prosecuted for that regardless of gender. It's the actions not the gender or equipment that would be the focus of the authorities.

I agree, you should make this a letter to the editor.

Hugs

Diane