New York: Girls' room his, too (Transgender men free to use ALL of MTA's loos)

The New York Daily News ^ | October 24, 2006 | PETE DONOHUE

[Stoat]

Girls' room his, too

 

Transgender men free to use ALL of MTA's loos

 

BY PETE DONOHUE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

 

Helena Stone, formerly Henry McGuinness, stands her ground yesterday outside Grand Central Terminal's ladies' room, which can now be used by transgender men.

The line for the girls' room just got longer.

Men who live as women can now legally use women's rest rooms in New York's transit system under an unprecedented deal revealed yesterday.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority agreed to allow riders to use MTA rest rooms "consistent with their gender expression," the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund announced yesterday.

The group filed a complaint against the MTA on behalf of a 70-year-old telephone repair technician who was arrested for using the women's room at Grand Central Terminal.

The technician, who is assigned to the terminal by Verizon, was born Henry McGuinness but now goes by Helena Stone.

"I'm a 24-hour woman," Stone declared proudly. "I just feel like a woman and I like to wear women's clothes."

The MTA would not comment on the settlement but Stone's lawyer said it also includes mandatory transgender sensitivity training for MTA employees and a $2,000 payment to the technician for legal fees.

Michael Sullivan, Stone's lawyer, called the settlement of the complaint with the Human Rights Commission a "milestone" toward recognition of the city law that prohibits discrimination against transgender men and women.

But some Metro-North riders at Grand Central yesterday were stunned by the ruling.

"I would not like that," said Gloria David, a retiree from Connecticut. "I have nothing against gay men or drag queens, but they can use the men's room. I just don't want to go to the bathroom next to a man."

One rider feared predators might dress as women and lurk in the women's room.

But Rena Gantz, 23, a college student, shrugged off the settlement.

"It doesn't bother me because it is a reality," she said. "If they believe they are women, they should be treated as one."

[Stoat]

Oh, now this is real touching. Even septagenarian freaks can go potty in comfort and keep their all-precious senses of self esteem intact.

It's so nice to know that the bureaucrats have the best interests of normal, sane people in mind at all times, isn't it?

Now, will any provision made for safety for "real" women who don't want to be preyed upon by rapists and thugs dressing in drag to gain access to, literally, sitting ducks? Or do they have to just suck it up in order to appease the freaks?

Normal, healthy, sane and real women will be victimized in any and every horrific way if they dare to go into these restrooms.  The real ladies who are forced to use this transit system will quickly learn that they need to use restrooms elsewhere, preferably at home, and then eat and drink NOTHING all day long in order to preclude any need to use a public rest facility.  The more frail of these ladies will pass out from hunger or a sugar imbalance and will then be victimized as a result of their reduced mental state.

Welcome to the jungle.

Or am I being too sensitive (or insensitive?) here?

Only in the eyes of the perverts and their sympathizers.  Normal, healthy and sane people will nod their heads in agreement with your insightful comments.

Oh, now this is real touching. Even septagenarian freaks can go potty in comfort and keep their all-precious senses of self esteem intact.

It's so nice to know that the bureaucrats have the best interests of normal, sane people in mind at all times, isn't it?

Now, will any provision made for safety for "real" women who don't want to be preyed upon by rapists and thugs dressing in drag to gain access to, literally, sitting ducks? Or do they have to just suck it up in order to appease the freaks?

Normal, healthy, sane and real women will be victimized in any and every horrific way if they dare to go into these restrooms.  The real ladies who are forced to use this transit system will quickly learn that they need to use restrooms elsewhere, preferably at home, and then eat and drink NOTHING all day long in order to preclude any need to use a public rest facility.  The more frail of these ladies will pass out from hunger or a sugar imbalance and will then be victimized as a result of their reduced mental state.

Welcome to the jungle.

Or am I being too sensitive (or insensitive?) here?

Only in the eyes of the perverts and their sympathizers.  Normal, healthy and sane people will nod their heads in agreement with your insightful comments.

[durasell]

What you wanted to do was go out on the lex side and up into the hotel, there are mens and ladies rooms on the second floor up the short escaltor. Or, you could have gone down into the Oyster Bar, the bathroom is just off the bar area.

A true New Yorker knows where a clean, safe bathroom is within any two blocks of any location in the city.

[traditional1]

"you are using logic, rational thought and a sane perspective to evaluate this situation."

Oh...silly me....that's absolutely un-PC and totally unacceptable today, I'm sure....

/sarc

[Fiji Hill]

Where does the NOW gang stand on this isssue?

[ZULU]

This is the world of Michael Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani and Pataki, where the only difference between a Republican and Democrat are a few letters.

[GregH]

Does it include pre-ops or post-op transsexuals, does it include the cross dressers as well if they choose to use the female toilets.

[houeto]

One rider feared predators might (?) dress as women and lurk in the women's room.

There is no telling how many pervs are packing bras as we speak.

[Stoat]

Where does the NOW gang stand on this isssue?

Although I haven't seen a press release from them, I think that we can assume that they will be just as vocal as they were in the matter of Bill Clinton's numerous nefarious escapades, which means they will be silent.

They dare not alienate the Queer Vote, as that is their constituency.

[Ole Okie]

And an ugly man, at that.

[Stoat]

Does it include pre-ops or post-op transsexuals, does it include the cross dressers as well if they choose to use the female toilets.

If the law isn't worded this way at the moment, it will invariably come to mean anyone who thinks that they are female, should be female, or wants to be female regardless of physical appearance or even their mode of dress.

[OpusatFR]

"One rider feared predators might dress as women and lurk in the women's room."

One rider? Make that a whole lot of women who know that when a criminal can see an opportunity, they will use it.

[caseinpoint]

For awhile there was a transgendered man working in our local mall as a hearing aid technician. When I realized it (his business card said John aka Jane), I made up my mind that if I ever saw him walk into the Ladies Room at the mall, I would wait about fifteen seconds, step barely into the room and make a public announcement somewhat along these lines "Attention, ladies. There is a man who prefers to dress as a woman using the restroom at the moment. Act accordingly." Then I would leave. However, he left his job before the tactic became necessary. Guess he got tired of the commute to San Francisco, which is an hour away.

[Grendel9]

Well, the days of sending your pre-teen
child alone to the public lavie are over!

[Grendel9]

Well, the days of sending your pre-teen
child alone to the public lavie are over!

[joylyn]

He doesn't even need a dress. All he has to do is put on a bra, stuff it with some kleenex, and he's good to go.

If I complain, I'm inssnsitive.

[sportutegrl]

Put a single gay man in a room of straight women, and the straight women are attracted to him.

Never in a million years would I be attracted to a gay man. Years ago, when I was a teenager, there was this boy in church that all the girls went gaga over. Not me. I didn't know about the gay lifestyle then, but he just turned me off somehow. Anyway, years later, I found out that he 'came out' and is now living as a homosexual.

[bigbob]

Put him in Old Crusty and he'd look just like Hillary!

[corlorde]

Makes me ill as well. We are screwed.