Gender-neutral bathrooms serve little purpose

After reading the article “Restrooms for everybody” (Feb. 8), I felt I had to throw in my two cents.\n“Gender-neutral” bathrooms? Come on. Fine, transsexuals feel they need a place to go (literally ...), where they feel safe from the judging eyes and mouths of people who disagree with their lifestyle, although I fail to see why the restroom of their assumed gender is not sufficient. After all, this is college, not junior high; rarely if ever do people act openly hateful or intolerant. I admit I am not a member of any group that is typically targeted by haters, but I just don’t see it happening on campus. But hey, whatever. If they think that allowing both genders to use the same bathroom is going to somehow reduce the nasty stares they get from those that find them distasteful, then all power to them. I happen to disagree, but the RPS bathroom task force didn’t ask me what I think.\nThe real reason I’m writing this letter is that one quote in the article that was particularly unsettling to me: “Some people ... don’t feel as comfortable with that (male or female) label.” Wow. That statement makes about as much sense as saying, “Don’t call my red car red. It isn’t comfortable with that label.” Some things just are what they are. This isn’t 1955. Nobody told anyone that they have to use a different bathroom because they are black, or gay, or any other racial or social minority. No, some bigot hundreds of years ago decided that maybe, just maybe, people might be more comfortable going to the restroom with other people of their gender. Some things just are the way they are. Biology is indisputable. If you have a penis, you are male; if you have a vagina, you are female. There is nothing to be uncomfortable about, especially now, when gender equality is a social priority.\nThis is akin to those “activists” who found some of the slapstick Super Bowl commercials “violent.” Some things just are not offensive, no matter how they are looked at. Separate water fountains for blacks and whites? Definitely offensive. Prohibiting couples from getting married because they happen to both have the same equipment? Definitely offensive. Asking people to use the bathroom only with members of their gender? Not offensive at all. Grow up, America.\nDave Dawson\nSenior