For many, the public bathroom is straightforwardly private and functional – and probably not worth a second thought. But for a majority of transgender people, it is a site of confrontation so extreme that it is best avoided.

New research now adds to current heated debate in the US around gendered bathrooms: Men are significantly more likely to be concerned than women about transgender people using the bathroom of their choice.

Men are significantly more likely to be concerned than women about transgender people using the bathroom of their choice. Credit:Sara D. Davis

The study by Rebecca Stones analysed 1,035 comments posted by readers on 190 online news articles relating to assigned-male-at-birth (AMAB) transgender individuals using female bathrooms.

While cisgender (those who identify with the same gender they were assigned at birth) males are more concerned than cisgender females about the issue overall, Stone's data, published in December's issue of Gender Issues, showed that men were particularly vocal about who should be allowed use women's bathrooms.