Re: Transgender man’s ogling behaviour unacceptable, Jan. 4

Transgender man’s ogling behaviour unacceptable, Jan. 4

Ontarians accept that it is a challenging life for people with transgendered identities, which is why providing a reasonable alternative via the use of separate unisex bathrooms or change rooms seems to be a reasonable course of action to assist such individuals. Why is this reasonable and simple accommodation not enough for the minuscule minority of transgendered individuals among the millions of Ontarians?

Our “decision-makers” at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal have decided for all Ontarians that it’s not enough for a trans person to view himself as the opposite sex — the whole world must be forced to share his subjective view, too.

The new transgender bathroom policy has affirmed that the vast majority of Ontarian women and men are not entitled to the protection of the Human Rights Code as much as transsexuals are. What about the feelings, discomfort, and safety of the millions of girls and women in Ontario who are now forced to undress in the same change room with a pre-operation phenotypic male, who may claim to be transsexual?

Do our rights get trumped because an individual subjectively “feels” female even though he may still have a penis, and be more than happy to show it off? Did the OHRT consult Ontarians regarding their decision?

I am concerned that sexually predatory men will take advantage of the new bill by claiming they are transsexual in order to freely access any women’s washroom in the province. The guaranteed consequences of this bill are that many girls and women will definitely be victimized as a result.

Mr. Gallinger’s article suggests that this is already happening — hardly a surprise — and the trend will likely increase because there are no legal consequences for any predatory individuals who behave in this way. A predator banned from one facility simply has to go down the road to another.

Mr. Gallinger bemoans the predatory behaviour that one poor woman was forced to endure, while actively supporting a system that allows such predatory behaviour to flourish. Far more women than trans people stand to feel invaded and helpless by such behaviour as there are likely far more sexually predatory individuals out there than transgendered people — predatory individuals who will be delighted to put on a dress (or not even that) in order to access women’s bathrooms and change rooms under the guise of being self-identified as “transgendered.”

Although a transgendered person may feel s/he has the “right” to be in a women’s change room, what about the feelings of the phenotypic females who may not wish a phenotypic male to be in that washroom?

We women are entitled to the protection of the Human Rights Code, just like anyone else. Exactly how many transsexual people are there for whom we are risking the safety and security of our roughly 6.8 million girls and women?

Daniela Caruso, Toronto