Unisex bathrooms in 13th Street businesses debated
After a small protest, students and business owners weigh the
pros and cons of having unisex facilities

Nicholas Wilbur
Oregon Daily Emerald News Reporter
June 30, 2005

http://www.dailyemerald.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/06/30/42c3b8fececf2

Following the City of Eugene Human Rights Commission hearing to
add transgender identity to the city$B!G(Bs anti-discrimination code,
a small protest took place on 13th Avenue to pressure the
surrounding businesses to convert their male and female bathroom
facilities to unisex.

Shanti Indian Restaurant co-owner Yakir Tharlev said that he did
not have a problem with changing the bathroom signs to unisex,
but he thought some people might feel uncomfortable. $B!H(BThe only
thing that might be annoying is men keeping the seat up,$B!I(B he
said.

Under the current city discrimination code, anyone has the right
to confront a transgender person who looks to be walking into a
bathroom of the opposite

Shanti employee Rebecca Palak thinks it is $B!H(Btotally
discriminatory$B!I(B to be able to stop someone who does not look
like they belong in a particular bathroom. For single-stalled
bathrooms, she said, it is a good idea to change them into
unisex facilities, $B!H(Bbut if they$B!G(Bre multi-stalled I can see pros
and cons.$B!I(B

An employee of the University bookstore, Jim Riley, voiced
similar concerns.

$B!H(BI wouldn$B!G(Bt mind but I think people would be uncomfortable.
There$B!G(Bs always people who get uptight about things like that,$B!I(B
Riley said.

Of five males polled on 13th Avenue, all said that they had no
problem sharing a bathroom with a female or a transgender
person, but women might feel uncomfortable sharing facilities
with men.

Swjin Ha, a senior in the American English Institute, said she
did not care about sharing facilities, $B!H(Bbecause at home we use
them with our father or brother.$B!I(B

Nessi McNar, a junior in pre-med at the University who visits
Espresso Roma Caf.ANi several times weekly, said $B!H(BIt$B!G(Bs recockulous
... and it$B!G(Bs more effort than store owners should have to put
out for customers.$B!I(B

Current Oregon law does not prohibit men or women from using
bathrooms designated for the opposite sex, according to the HRC
Transgender Issues Packet.

$B!H(BIf it$B!G(Bs several stalls with men and women involved, I could see
it being a problem,$B!I(B said Sarah O$B!G(BBerry, a sophomore studying
linguistics and computer science.

At a public hearing last Tuesday the HRC heard from several
people, both in support and in opposition to the discrimination
code amendment. Some people expressed concerns about increased
violence against transgender people, discontent for women and
children, non-transgender people having to share facilities, and
increases in bathroom rape cases.

In general, those polled on 13th Avenue voiced concern for
multi-stalled facilities being converted to unisex, but thought
that making already single-stalled bathrooms unisex would be a
fair action.

.AN) 2005 Oregon Daily Emerald