bathrooms.md 2.1 KB
% Bathrooms
Trans women
Women pay more attention to each other in bathroom areas, compared to men. This is something to keep in mind.
It's pretty much the same thing as going in a mens bathroom. It doesn't matter whether you pass or not, either.
If you have a masculine voice, you should try not to speak while using the bathroom. This is for your public safety. We don't say this to comfort cis women, although it is generally good not to discomfort people, especially since some cis women may be ignorant (but not hostile) and may be scared about seeing you there. Just be careful. This is also for your own comfort.
It's mostly about self-confidence, otherwise you will find very little difference. One thing you will notice, however, is the distinct lack of stand-to-pee urinals in female bathrooms. You may also find that that there are more cubicals than in a mens bathroom.
NOTE: trans women are subject to more violence than trans men, and are viewed much more negatively compared to trans men. You need to be careful when using bathrooms. But, please do not be discouraged by this message. It's not as bad as you think. You might get the odd look, but otherwise you will be fine. A general piece of advice is to *only* use female bathrooms if you're presenting as a woman. If you're in guy mode, then do not use female bathrooms at all.
Trans men
You have an advantage here, in that not only can you more easily pass (compared to trans women), but men also don't pay as much attention to each other in toilet areas compared to women.
Most male bathrooms have cubicals, so you can still use those. But, if you want to stand to pee, you will likely make a mess unless you've had bottom surgery. If you haven't had the surgery, you can use a stand-to-pee device, which goes over your vagina, and has a tube for your urine to travel though.
Non-binary
We can't offer advice here, for places that have male/female bathrooms. You should use your best judgement.
Generally, we believe that bathrooms should be unisex or gender neutral everywhere, but this is currently not the case in most countries.