October Editorial Winner

School Restrooms: Joke's on politicians

By Kim Poindexter, Tahlequah Daily Press

Certain purveyors of puritanism and bussers of “base” buttocks in the state Legislature continue to squawk and squeal about the horrors being inflicted upon innocent “normal” – read cisgender – children in Oklahoma’s public schools. That was the impetus behind their nonsensical measure to force kids into the restrooms corresponding to their genders at birth.

But the joke’s on them. Many schools were already ahead of the curve, installing nongender or “single-use” restrooms on their campuses. Before the vote came, school administrators had already been quietly going about the business of rendering the law moot, giving transgender students and others who didn’t feel comfortable in restrooms with several stalls and open urinals, or public locker rooms, an alternative.

Employees at most businesses already knew the score. A restroom was simply a place where customers or workers could relieve themselves, wash their hands, and return to what they were doing without any undue stress. The only reason large restrooms were installed anywhere in the first place was because it was more cost-effective and efficient space-wise to do so. But “family restrooms” have been popping up all over the country for many years and many schools already had facilities just like those.

So what’s the big deal? Well, politicians wanted to make a mountain out of a molehill in their ever-desperate quest for votes. What was good for schools, students, employees, patrons and parents hardly entered into the equation. A few people with incredibly dirty minds made the issue about sexual perversion, and the politicians felt the need to grovel at those feet. It’s about the politicians, the rest of us be damned.

The warped politicos could have made the issue more honest, and less divisive, had they gone with this simple plan: “Let’s make it to where all schools must install single-use restrooms for those who don’t feel comfortable undressing or relieving themselves in front of others.” That would’ve worked far better than pushing their bigotries off on everyone else – or, more concisely, the majority, who disagree with their draconian tactics but paradoxically don’t overwhelm the voting booths like they should.

The “gender at birth” requirement is a farce, and one that could get kids killed. While they’ve not generally had surgery, many transgender youth have begun hormone treatments. How will the girls reaction when an older teen who was designated female at birth but outwardly looks like a man walks into the little girls’ room? 

Members of the public who are clueless on LGBTQ issues because they don’t know enough about them yet can be somewhat forgiven for their fear, but the same can’t be said for the despicable politicians fanning those flames. This didn’t have to be about hate, but they made it that way. They can’t leave office soon enough.