What's Your Opinion

On a local radio station here a couple months ago there was a debate on whether or not drag queens should be able to use the ladies restroom since they feel as though they are women. Many agreed and many disagreed. I wasn't sure until I went to New York a couple of weeks ago. I went to a Chinese restaurant and the bath attendant was a drag queen. Being that there was a male in a public bathroom I felt a little weird. I was ok but I don't think that I'd want my nieces to walk in the bathroom with a male. What do you think?

That is a tuffy...
Final solution: create a whole separate bathroom. But since that hasn't happened yet, I'm not quite sure.
I think in the long run just let them go to the women's room. We have plenty of privacy anyway, (the close in stalls and all) and if they consider themselves women, are not exposing themselves or doing something inappropriate in the restroom, let them do what they want. Honestly I think the men would be more offended having a DQ in their room rather than ours, considering they are sexually attracted to men and in the men's room you tend to see a little of everything.
The most the women would endure would be sharing a sink and mirror with a drag queen, I don't think there's any damage there.

I just don't think its right. Someone on the radio station brought up the separate bathrooms pink, but as they said that would get too costly for everyone to build in an extra bathroom. Especially in areas where it really isn't a problem. However, they said at Disney or some where like that they have an everyone bathroom. A man wouldn't want his daughter and wife in a public bathroom with a man and I can understand that. I just thought if I had children going in there how would that be. I don’t know. A man can dress up as a woman but he IS still a man.

I was at a club awhile back and in the line for the ladies restroom were 2 drag queens. I was intrigued wondering if they would sit down or stand up to go. I timed it perfect so I peeked under and could tell by their feet that they had sat down. You just never know if they like chics or guys so it makes it a bit strange having them in the same restroom with you. I personally feel they should use the mens restroom after all they still have a penis.

The thing you have to ask yourself Natalie is why we have separate bathrooms in the first place.
1- men are pretty much fully exposed when urinating
2-women have their monthly needs which are provided for in the women's restroom
3-a lot of men out there are dangerous and would hurass/assault a female if caught alone with them in a bathroom
4-separating the sexes because women would feel more comftorble being around other women who moreso understand womanly needs and actions (same as men)

Now go through those and ask yourself what problem would a drag queen be creating in that atmosphere.
considering the numbers:
#1-if a DQ considers themself a woman, they are most likely attracted to men and those men would be offended if a drag queen so happened to enter a men's room and get a full view.
#2-being a drag queen, they aren't going to need monthly things, but it doesn't create an issue for them either. So that's niether a pro or a con
#3-A drag queen is most likely a homosexual correct? unless they are a harmful person in general, or consider themselves lesbians, they're not going to hurass a woman the way a man would. and even if they did that would hardly have to do with the fact that they were a DQ, rather just a dangerous person. And if a drag queen was forced to go into a men's room, they would most likely be hurassed by other men who feel threatened or just want to humiliate them for other reasons.
#4-Being a drag queen they're going to relate to women more- doing the make up thing and such- and it's not going to be the same as having a man in the bathroom listening to girl talk or observing women.

There you have it, I'm pretty much for having them go into the women's. I don't think they're causing any damage

Britt: "Gays are naturally repulsed by women?"
I don't agree with that either, that's a completely different phsycological discussion.

"And does all of this apply for homosexuals? What if there is a guy, who dresses and acts male, but is in fact homosexual. "
this is why we're talking about drag queens, they dress and act the same and consider themselves women. End of that.

"And what about a woman who is a lesbian? "
again...that's why this discussion is about drag queens. Not to mention in my list above there are more reasons why the sexes have their own bathrooms other than just sexual attraction.

If you dangle go to the gents. Nice and simple.

Using how we feel or what we want is not an issue. In our society it's not about what the individual wants it's what the majority wants.

If this wasn't the case we'd have seperate toilets for gays, lesbians, blacks and whites, metrosexuality, drag queens... anything that affects the norm in everyday situations is a step back, not a step forward.

you guys aren't looking at detail. You're looking at this as a "guys go in boys, girls go in girls" you're not looking at the outcome.
First, there are psychological differences. Second, there can be violent outcomes. I seriously think it would be far safer for a drag to attend the women's rather than men's (for themselves).

not to mention, I think it hardly makes a difference to the ladies if they have to pee next to a stall with a pair of heels facing the toilet. What's the problem? they need to get over it.

and if we don't allow them in they of course will start a "drag pride" campaign or something.

99% of Drag Queens will be in a gay bar when they go out dressed in drag anyway.

In Brighton (England's version of San fransico) there are more gay bars than straight bars. The only people it really affects are bigots anyway. I wouldn't be remotely bothered if some bloke in a dress and a 4 foot high wig was standing next to me in the Gents.

Women will be more pissed off though because they always bitch on about how drag queens have better legs anyway.

Pink many guys on the radio station working and calling in said they'd rather have the drag queens go in the mens restroom being that they wouldn't want their daughters and wives in their with a man, regardless of his sexuality. So I don't think men being uncomfortable is good enough. I also went to a gay bar while I was in New York (the man I went to visit is gay) and men and women were sharing two bathrooms. But they were both single bathrooms. That didn't bother me at all, it's just the fact of being in a public restroom (a private thing I think) with men. And a drag queen has to look out for men who are uncomfortable with their lifestyles where ever they go not just in bathrooms. The drag queen that was in the restroom with me could have been a peeping tom. I don't know it's just weird to me. I just think they should use the mens restrooms since they are in fact MEN.

I also figured JPM would jump in with his "easy solution"

HAHAHAHAHA

HAHA! Nice suggestion Mike.

I think that the drag queens should use the mens bathrooms. Sorry, but I would definitely not like to see a drag queen in a bathroom with me. And you know how public bathroom doors are not always working properly. What if a little girl accidentally walked in on a drag queen while he was using the bathroom and got a good peek at his member? *Cringe*
Nope, I am for them using the men's bathroom.

"wouldn't want their daughters and wives in their with a man"

"So I don't think men being uncomfortable is good enough."

did you just argue with yourself? Men being uncomfortable being next to another guy dressed as a girl, or men being upset over the fact their chicks are in the rest room with a guy, is the same thing.
And, like I said, there are more reasons than just feeling uncomfortable. and women feel uncomfortable too, I think they need to get over it.

"And a drag queen has to look out for men who are uncomfortable with their lifestyles where ever they go not just in bathrooms."
True but a rest room is a private, blocked off area which will only be inhabited by other men, so it's a higher risk.

" The drag queen that was in the restroom with me could have been a peeping tom."
That's just a sick person if they were doing that, not defined as a drag queen. Someone cannot discriminate against one type of person because of what others might do. That's like discriminating against a lesbian because you assume she's going in to check out girls because one other homosexual woman happened to have done it.

" I just think they should use the mens restrooms since they are in fact MEN."

only physically which would not make a difference other than we would see a pair of heels facing the toilet. that's the only difference and I see absolutely no danger in it

And, like I said, there are more reasons than just feeling uncomfortable. and women feel uncomfortable too, I think they need to get over it.

Drag Queens belong in the Gents toilets for the same reason.

" I just think they should use the mens restrooms since they are in fact MEN."

only physically...

Last time I checked toilets weren't made for mental evacuation.

Good points, Bret.

I didn't mean anything towards drag queens. I had more fun at that restaurant than I ever have anywhere else. I laughed with the bathroom attendant and even tipped him. And there it was his job, that's what the place was all about, drag queens. You said women should just get over it. No, men should just get over. Drag queens should use the men's bathroom. Men are men and women are women and that is easily distinquished. It's not about what one thinks in their mind it's their bodies. If you have a penis you go into the mens if you don't you use the womens.

If you have a penis you go into the mens if you don't you use the womens.

It's not a hard premise to go by is it!

I totally agree with Natalie and Bret. Penis=men's. Vagina=women's. Easy.

LMAO Britt. I'm pretty sure that would stop all the confusion though.

LMAO That was mean!

I understand.

There are many lesbians out here that look like MEN!

Of course we were not talking about hermaphrodites. lol

Mike: They use the sexually confused room that you mentioned in an earlier post. Duh.

Hi Britt!!:)

whichever private part they have is the restroom they should use. just my opinion.

"if a person has a penis" bla bla bla

again...look at the reasons why we have seperate rest rooms. you will find hardly any of it has to do with seeing a man's penis.

Why does this matter?

At least in a womans restroom it doesnt matter much, everyone has a damn stall. I wouldnt care if I saw a guy in a womans restroom, I would go and do my business without interuption from either gender. There are rarely naked women doing exciting things that men shouldnt see out in a public restroom.

It doesn't really matter. It's just a discussion that I thought would be interesting.

I think that this is a really interesting discussion that this person has arose. I guess it would be weird having a drag queen in a female's bathroom, but i guess if they are dressed up as drag, the majority of them are attracted to the same sex so really it wouldn't really matter. I think it's just personal preferance and would depend on the individual person.

I think the most interesting thing about this debate, is whether or not regular guys like me should be allowed free access to the ladies room if we walk in wearing a dress....i mean, think of the free access you'd have to chat them up?....all the poor other guys trying to dance badly and talk nonsense outside...and you're just standing there looking sweet in a nice size 10....garanteed method for scoring.

Mmmmh, Kevin in a kilt, in the ladies room.

I'd hit it.

;)

HAHAHAHHAA

You need a psych consult to use the ladies loo...

That would be interesting. Would you get a loos pass?

Anything that requires an id card can and will be forged.

Just a thought.

Basically any man, be he a serial rapist, paedophile, peeping Tom or whatever, could gain access to ladies toilets by forging any pass that a drag queen could get.

Not that it stops them now, of course.

The more complicated you make something the easier it is to exploit.

"Basically any man, be he a serial rapist, paedophile, peeping Tom or whatever, could gain access to ladies toilets by forging any pass that a drag queen could get."

That is really the only good point I've seen in this post.
But the question is, SHOULD, they be allowed to. Perhaps this is my own question-
minus legal complications and criminals taking advantage, does a DQ have the RIGHT to enter a woman's bathroom?
My answer obviously yes. If you disagree, please explain (other than..."because they're still a MAN"....yadyada)

I believe there are universal facilities in some towns in Sweden, though that was a couple of years back and may have been phased out.

Bottom line is as soon as you let drag queens into female toilets the legal boundaries will fall in a cascade effect.

Any man of any background, disposition and outlook could then say "If he's allowed in there, I am too because... yada yada yada" and probably win in a court of law to boot.

Personally I wouldn't want my little sister in a toilet with some strange fella in a suit or a dress, a strange woman of whom I haven't got a full backgroundand history is bad enough. And as for my three year old niece... nuh uh, no way. Call me a prude, call me a snob or a neanderthal with no wit. The image just doesn't sit comfortably with me.

I didn't even think of that Bret. That's a very good point. I think if drag queens were allowed simply because they dress as woman then any man could put on a dress and go in for a good time. How would you have any idea who was a real drag queen and who wasn't? You'd have no way of knowing and I wouldn't want my nieces in a bathroom with some whack job in a dress. Hell, I wouldn't want to be in a bathroom with one myself.

hmm....excellent topic....makes you think......well when it really comes down to it, i don't think a drag queen man should go to the women's restroom.....not something i'd want my neices to see either......again very nice topic.
Peace