My dear lgbt+ kids,
If you listened to transphobes, you might assume that the whole concept of “separate toilets for women” was designed with women’s safety in mind - and it was, but not in the way you might think.
Gender-segregated bathrooms emerged in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century (so around the time women were entering the workforce in greater numbers in the US and Europe). But the idea behind that wasn’t rooted in empowerment or feminism:
Women were seen as fragile and weak. Public spaces (and especially higher education or the workforce) were considered unsuitable for women. So, it was believed women needed separate “restrooms”, assuming they might faint due to their naturally "delicate" health.
Separate bathrooms limited women’s access to education, work, and public life. This may seem counterintuitive at first glance, so let me explain: women’s restrooms were often located inconveniently… subtly discouraging women from staying in public spaces for extended periods. This was not about women’s safety, but about men wanting control over women.
In Victorian ideals, women were supposed to be modest and “pure”, and this meant that they had to occupy distinctly different spaces than men . Separate bathrooms were a way of reinforcing their “proper” roles in society, emphasizing that their “real” place is in the home rather than in public or professional spaces.
The argument that we need “women only” bathrooms to protect women is not rooted in history or evidence. They were born out of sexism, not safety.
With all my love,
Your Tumblr Dad
