Science is science and it’s settled, until you don’t feel that it’s sciency.
We’ve all heard the stories of some schools, gyms, etc. allowing people who feel they are one gender–when the science of anatomy says otherwise–use whichever public bathroom they want to use. Shorter…Men/boys can use the women’s restroom and women/girls can use the men’s restroom. Not. Potentially. Dangerous. At. All.
Well, OSHA just made this a rule for your workplace, too. And they did it under the guise of safety and health. On June 1st, the Hill reported that OSHA released its four-page Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers. According to the guide, if an employer requires someone to use a restroom based on their “assigned” gender or provides a gender-neutral restroom that “singles” out certain employees, they may fear for their physical safety, and they may refrain from taking bathroom breaks all together while at work, which the guide says is a serious health risk.
Okay, so what about my safety and health? I am scientifically a woman, and I feel that I am woman. I go to use the restroom at work–the women’s restroom–and there is a six-foot-tall, 200-pound person who shaves his face and tinkles standing up occupying the restroom. I fear for my safety because…man where he doesn’t belong! Danger! Danger! I back out of the restroom, and forego my restroom break, thus causing me serious health risks. Where is my protection under OSHA’s rules? Why does his safety and health trump mine?
