GENDER REALITY

Thank you so much, Risa Stephanie Bear, for your viewpoint article (11/10) on your experiences doing something that seemingly heterosexual, female-appearing biological females (FABF) rarely even think about: using the public restroom. It takes great bravery to speak out as you do.

I agree that our entire community loses in our desperate clingings to binary black and white ideas of gender and gender identity, and non-acceptance (and worse) of those who don't. I don't understand the fear of a much more realistic fluid continuum of gender, gender identity and sexual orientation. It saddens me that you have to speak out and put your safety at risk instead of the culturally dominant FABF speaking out (and this applies to men as well). I am one of those FABF who doesn't even think about such things as using a gendered public restroom. How privileged!

I make an effort to be respectful to all individuals regardless of appearance, identity or orientation and breach topics like this in my classroom, but what else can I do? Thanks again for your bravery and leadership.

Bree McKenzie , Eugene