MARK YOUR TERRITORY

Waiting for a restroom in New York City recently, this sign caught my attention.  I recognized the man and woman, but thought the middle symbol was a sink with a mirror. Two 20-something women waiting behind me, began talking about the sign.  So, I listened.

“Oh my God, the woman’s top looks like an electrical outlet.  Like you could plug something in her.”

“I know, and what’s the deal with the super, short skirt?”

“Sexist.”

“And she only has one leg!”

“Well, there’s a little differentiation for her leg but obviously she can’t stand on her own, two feet.”

“The transgender is bizarre with that square head.”

“And the skirt is turned up instead of going down and it doesn’t have two legs, either.”

“Who the fuck comes up with this stuff?”

“Some guy.”

The sign was confusing, but I was surprised by their observations.  Signs like this along with the pronouns we keep adding seem to be alienating others, not drawing them in.  There are not enough symbols to encompass everyone’s complexities. That is just how nuanced we humans are.  

This sign seems even dumber.  It shows that anyone not strictly male or female must be half and half.  Thus, we have a part pants, part skirt figure.  Seriously?  Bathroom signs should just say “EVERYONE,” and that’s who should use them.  

Recently, House Representative Nancy Mace declared that trans people were, “erasing women and shouldn’t be allowed to use women’s bathrooms.”  She wrote a bill which said exactly that. It passed!  Mace even filmed this video to emphasize her point.  Considering she presently has $16,000 in ethics fines; her judgment seems suspect.

The bill was a direct attack aimed at incoming, transgender congresswoman, Sarah McBride.  After watching both women speak, you might consider which one more aptly reflects your version of ‘feminine.’  We are all on the spectrum of everything:  gender, color, shape, size, culture, behavior, personality, religion and even mental disorder.  Even history has shown that ‘Christians’ run the gamut from saintly to murderous.  

DEI, which stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion also means ‘God’ in Latin.  Isn’t inclusion exactly what Jesus preached? Weren’t we exhorted to ‘love one another as we love ourselves?’  Our signs should unite–not divide us. Does it matter if we stand up or sit down to pee?  I don’t care who or how you love, only that you love.  What else matters?