Gender neutral shouldn’t be the new normal

Hannah Bleau, Guest Feature Writer
Special to HISTORIC CITY NEWS

It’s a touchy subject. I can already assume that half the people who read the title have made specific judgments about me as a person, but I would hope that the most “tolerant generation” in modern history would hear me out.

In recent years, homosexual issues have been more politicized than ever. But I have to wonder, how much of an issue is it, really? The way the media acts, you would think that half the U.S. population identifies as LGBT and consequently face brutal discrimination on a daily basis.

I personally don’t care what people do in their private lives, but I have a massive problem with the media and modern society shoving politically correct ideas down my throat and calling me names when I reject their ideas.

I was casually perusing through my Facebook feed as usual and stumbled upon a new Flagler College page that forced me to do a double take:

“Like this page to help make the Flagler College administration be more inclusive toward gender identity and expression by liberating our bathrooms from the gender binary.”

“Putting gender-neutral bathrooms on the Flagler College campus may help to decrease the harassment of transgender and gender-nonconforming students, faculty, staff, and visitors.”

I suppose I never realized this was such a “huge” issue. I know showing support is supposed to make you “feel like a good person,” but common sense tells me otherwise. Moreover, calling the opposition homophobic to silence them is a just another dangerous tactic of political ideologues. We should be able to discuss these things in a civil manner.

I understand that this is for the benefit of the “transgendered” community, but honestly, how many people at Flagler — let alone America — consider themselves transgendered?

The LGBT community makes up less than 2 percent of the population, according to survey results from the 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of that, .3 percent considers themselves transgendered. That’s less than one-third of one percent. If that’s the case, why does such a small population get to dictate the public bathroom policies of our society? The LGBT community makes up less than 2 percent of the population, yet they have a voice like they’re 50 percent. It’s not an equal rights issue. It’s a common sense issue.

This entire “gender neutral” topic is getting way out of hand. Recently, a school district in Nebraska advised public school teachers to call kids something like, “purple penguins” instead of “boys and girls” because it’s more “gender inclusive.”

The city of Houston Texas has also followed in the footsteps, issuing an ordinance that allows people to use any bathroom, shower or dressing room they “feel,” regardless of actual gender. Of course, religious organizations opposed the decree. In a stunning display of intolerance, the Houston City Council, led by their openly gay Mayor Annise Parker, issued a subpoena, ordering pastors to hand over their sermons to review the content of their teachings and to undoubtedly ensure they were not actively saying anything in opposition to the homosexual lifestyle. Hey, whatever happened to tolerance?

I’m not comfortable with “gender neutral” bathrooms on my college campus. Call me mean, intolerant, or bigoted. It really doesn’t matter. The truth is, everyone is born with either an XX or XY chromosome pair. Even if you don’t “feel” like you identify with your sex, it doesn’t change what you actually are. “Liberating bathrooms from the gender binary” is the most PC thing I’ve ever heard.

I don’t want men who feel like they’re women to walk in my public bathroom. Making such policy changes in the name of emotion is not only ridiculous, but it also paves the way for other unstable policies.

First bathrooms, then what’s next? Flagler dorm rooms? Will the LGBT community demand “gender non-inclusive” dorms as well? It’s a never-ending spiral, and ultimately, they’ll never be satisfied.

It’s not about acceptance. Many in the LGBT community relish in perpetual victimhood. The LGBT community won’t be satisfied until society as a whole recognizes their lifestyle as the new normal, and we war over the issue because that’s one thing that they can’t legislate.

I understand that the LGBT community may feel “uncomfortable using their bathroom of their sex,” but what about the rest of us? What about the overwhelming majority of straight people who are uncomfortable with an open gender bathroom?

Our society is going down a dangerous path. Widely held opinions and values are being snuffed out by minority groups in the name of political correctness. I’m more than willing to have a discussion about the topics, but it’s difficult to do so when the media paints any opposition as hateful and arrogant. Yes, everyone deserves to be treated as a human being. But rejecting a lifestyle choice doesn’t indicate a lack of love and respect for the person.

I get it. Our culture says, “you do you,” and that’s cool. I just don’t see why the rest of the society has to go along with it.