What do mothers do about their sons needing to use the restroom when they are out shopping? Or even a young male out on his own? That's like making women go in the men's room if everyone is heterosexual. How awful!
Women now bring their sons into the bathroom with them. You will walk into a women's room especially at well traveled stops and there will be women with their sons up to age 11 or so. All the women understand. No one says anything.
We all know that we are protecting boys.
Our oldest is 10, he's tall for his age, quite innocent about the evils in the world, and when he's out with mom he has to use the women's restroom. It's starting to bother him so mom looks for those family bathrooms whenever possible.
Other parents don't seem to get it. I see very young boys in the bathroom by themselves all the time.
One time at the theatre I saw a teenage boy hanging out in the bathroom and a young boy came in. As my two boys and I left the bathroom, the teenager approached the young boy and stood behind him while he was, um, busy.
Of course I wasn't going to let anything happen so while holding the door open I yelled "hey" and the teenager nearly jumped out of his skin and walked out.
I think it's just as important to stop those situations as it is to protect ourselves from any hint of wrongdoing. That is, the teenager could have accused me of anything, but with the door open and witnesses outside, it would have been much more difficult.
Of course I alerted the staff to what happened.
Parents, please realize the bathroom is one of the worst places for young boys to be alone. And not just boys, but girls, too.