Canadian Politics Today

It's an assumption that a trans woman has no sexual interest in women.  Dia mentioned that one of her trans women acquaintances was a lesbian.  I'm no expert on the subject, but I don't think that gender dysphoria is necessary linked to homosexuality.

As well, lesbians don't walk into a locker-room with a sign that says "Lesbian".   If you've changed in a public facility, you've probably been checked out by lesbians, and women who were curious, and by completely straight women who are still interested in seeing what "the competition" has.

And you keep using the word logic, but none of this has anything to do with logic. 



People accept the premise of a female safe-space free from men, but the reason some women seek out male-free spaces is due to anxiety directly related to naked males, regardless of gender identity.

If someone was traumatized by a dog attack early in life, and later finds themselves standing in front of a big Rottweiler, the owner's assurance that "relax, he's friendly" actually does very little to reassured the frightened person.  It's not a switch people can just turn on and off.  And someone with anxiety regarding being naked in front of males will not simply feel reassured by "relax, she's trans."

I'm also still curious about the hypothetical Muslim patron. Do her religious sensibilities deserve consideration that other women don't?

 -k

No, I don't think a Muslim woman's right trumps a transgender right.  I don't think any kind of religious right should trample on any type of human right.  If the law regards a transgender woman as a woman, she should have a right to exercise in a woman's facility.  If that makes any Jew, Christian or Muslim, uncomfortable, that's too bad. 

If the sight of a woman with a **** could cause harm to others, I could see the point, otherwise no. 

As for feeling threatened by a ****, I don't think that's why we have segregated gyms.  Having worked in gyms when I was younger, I know it's partly women wanting to work out without being watched by men, and also because they don't want to be hit on by men.

Which brings us back to the lesbian comparison.  With a lesbian, she is for sure interested in women, but a transgender woman may or may not be interested in women.  That's why I said it's more logical to be uncomfortable around lesbians even though we're not.

The point I was making which you did not address was that 50 years ago there was just as much of a fuss put up about allowing gay women into change rooms, but as times passed most of us couldn't care less if they're working out next to us.

In due time, I believe the same thing will happen with transgender women.