Would it bother you to share a bathroom with a lesbian?
 

Over in the transsexual teacher thread, the topic turned to sharing bathrooms with gays, and I mentioned that I'd never heard an objection from another woman to sharing a bathroom with me. It's seldom an issue, as most public schools have single occupancy restrooms for the teachers, but I do on occasion have to use public restrooms, such as at work. It also occured to me that it might make a difference whether the restroom was single occupant or multiple user.

Would it bother you to use the same restroom as a lesbian? Would it matter if it were communal or single occupancy? If so, why?

Gilda

I don't have a problem at all using the bathroom with other women in straight, bi, or gay. If you are out in public and you have to go, you have to go. Plus, you have privacy, it's not like a trough or open restroom where everyone can stare at you. If it were an open bathroom..I don't know I wouldn't be bothered, but most people want their privacy. I grew up with no privacy so I have different opinions than others probably. However, I don't think it would matter the orientation of the lady.

Now, when it comes to diseases spread...well that can come from anybody and that is why I don't sit directly on the toilet seat.

I don't know, I never saw it as an issue or even thought about it really. I think guys might have more of an issue because they are out there more than we are.

Nope, wouldn't bother me to share a bathroom with a gay man, lesbian woman, bisexual man or woman, straight man or woman. i just don't care.

However, i'm really an open and free person and i don't mind sharing my personal space too much.

However, i think women are used to sharing our personal space to some extent, more so than men are.


sweetpea

I'm honestly suprised that this would be an issue for anyone...

Once you are out of high school, bathrooms are rarely places for social interactions... you go in -- do your business -- and leave...

I've shares living spaces with a lesbian, with two gay men, one confused men, and one person to this day, I'm not sure what their gender was... Long as they paid their rent on time, and didn't use the last of the coffee without replacing it... I didn't care... what people did in their personal life was their business... not mine...

Sometimes I worry when I'm in the locker room if other people would be offended and want me out if they knew that I'm queer. Especially since it's really hard to not glance at people (not creepily, just because everyone's walking about naked)

I don't care who I share a bathroom with, though I'd rather share it with no one at all.

I'm probably one of the more uptight/conservative/prudish types around this board.. and I have to tell you, cello, that glancing at them - or even out and out checking them out is not a big deal - -if you were leaving them mash notes... or continually hitting on them... that'd be an issue... but seriously- if people don't want to be looked at in the locker room... go into a bathroom stall and change.

Yup, my thoughts exactly. Just something I would never think of. And probably why I feel it's a nonissue.

Or just wait for a major catastrophy and see if it really matters who does their business here, there or anywhere. If it doesn't matter then, it shouldn't matter now. What century are we in?

And those who feel such entitlement that sharing anything with the unconventional for their sake is not acceptable, then to hell with them. One day they will grow up.

I don't pay attention to who is in a public restroom with me. Usually I am too busy helping one of my kids. A person's sexual orientation is a private matter and none of my business. I don't see this as an issue at all.

I agree with everyone here. I've worked with lesbians before, and therefore shared a bathroom with them...the thought of being uncomfortable with that didn't even cross my mind. It doesn't matter one single bit.

I couldn't care less. How could anyone even tell?

I'd be afraid I'd offend *them* as my poo don't exactly smell like roses...




But my farts do. :D

Nope I wouldn't mind. I don't think it'd even bother me if I caught them checking me out but that's partly cause I'm bi so the interest could just as easily go the other way. Not that I'm doing the checking out in the bathroom. It's sortof a place where people need their privacy to do their business. Not an erotic sort of place in the least.

I just realized I hadn't responded to my own question here.

I share my own home restroom with a lesbian. Doesn't bother me in the least. Well, except when she borrows my stuff without returning it. That bugs me.

Gilda

A response from one of our male members:

Thanks for the input. :).

Gilda

Well, when I was younger we frequently stayed at my aunt's lake cabin--there was only one tiny bathroom and so more often than not someone would end up using the toilet while you were taking a shower or vice-versa. I don't think it ever crossed my mind that sharing a bathroom with two lesbians (among other people) would bother someone. It certainly has never bothered me.

I've never cared who was in the bathroom with me. It took my hubby a long time to get used to the fact that when I have to go at home, I rarely shut the door... Even when there are people over. I'm just not a particularly modest woman.

I've been known, when I have to go badly enough, to zip into the men's restroom to pee if the line to the women's is too long. *grins* At the Melissa Etheridge concert in Biloxi one year, I started a bit of a riot with the men, because with a gazillion women and like ten men at the concert, the men's restroom was damn near abandoned. Once I popped in there, so did everyone else, lol....

The bathroom is a place for bodily business, not looking around to see who's in there. When I was in school, I shared a dorm suite bathroom with two lesbians. *shrugs* They don't leave the seat up, that's all I give a shit about, lol.

it wouldn't bother me at all. Everyone has a right to go :)

re on the locker room thing. If a woman were to give me looks
in the locker room I would most definitely take it as a compliment.
Oddly, when a man does this it bothers me a whole lot more.
I guess it's because i lived in Hispanic countries, where every man
blatantly stares.

No no no no no.

Nope. I hate sharing a bathroom with ANYONE since I'm such a stinky person.... I get embarassed about that. But it would bother me with anyone... plus, I am also bi, so if anyone is doing any noticing, I'm likely to notice right back. The funny thing is... unless they're noticing me or someone else, and I mean "noticing", I never look at the other naked ladies as anything other than naked bodies. If/Once I know they're lesbian or bi, my perspective changes and I notice them in a different way, like I would a man. It's rare that I check out women that aren't obviously into women.

Sharing a bathroom I don't even do with the spouse-I go in, door gets locked. :D
Many years ago, when I was single, I went with a group of friends to a large gay disco-so large, one dance floor, surrounded by bars, was for gay men and upstairs was a slightly smaller dance floor and bar for women. A third dance floor on the first floor was mixed. It was winter, so I had worn a turtleneck under a flowy-gauzy type shirt, but I was hot from dancing so I went into the ladies room. It didn't have doors on the 2 or 3 stalls, it had curtains and since I didn't want to waste a stall taking the sweater off, I stood in the lav section. As I'm changing out of my sweater, I hear in a very loud voice, "Hey! She's getting undressed in there!!!" and a rush of females came to the door! :lol: My friend yells in for me, I yell out to her and the throng that I'm just taking off the sweater, hastened it up and ran out.
My only change in thought and deed: I won't change clothes in ANY restroom anymore ;)

Well, my question is... unless you know for 100% sure... how do you that person is or isn't?

I grew up going to the bathroom with my mother and cousin. My cousin and I would sit on the sink or washer, depending on who was where and who got there first and talk to my mother.

I've only had problems one time with going to the bathroom with someone that I knew was a lesbian. It wasn't her choice of relationship that bothered me. It was the fact that she was hitting on me where we worked at. What made it all worse was her S/O just happened to work there too and was usually in the same room.

My frame of mind is alot different now that what it was 7-8 years ago. But still, it wouldn't bother me in the least. As long as they aren't coming after me and I'm not interested in them. ;)

Wouldn't bother me a bit. Oddly enough, when I'm using the toilet, sexual orientation is not really foremost in my mind. :p I wouldn't mind sharing with men, either, as long as the urinals were screened somehow. Everyone KNOWS what you're doing, it's not like it's a big secret. I'm a bit shy about toilet noises, though, with ANYBODY around...I'd like one of the Japanese Super Toilets that has a heated seat and plays sounds and dispenses your choice of fresh scents.

Like cello said, I don't mind sharing a bathroom but I'd rather not have to share with anyone - not even a boyfriend, even though if you live with them that's hardly avoidable. If we're talking about a roommates situation, who gives? I use the bathroom, she does, whatever. As long as we're not in it together at the same time (i.e. her on the toilet, me in the shower), that's fine. It's a matter of common courtesy. In public bathrooms, I don't care either. As long as it's not open plan, those I would not even consider. I don't much like women who prance around locker rooms in gyms totally naked but that's just me. I'm usually discreet when I have to change or get dressed in those. I always find it odd that other women are quite happy to have complete strangers around them while they spread moisturizer over their whole naked body. It seems so private...in a public place. I could never do that.

Being naked in the locker room, to me, is a bit of reclaiming my gender and what it means to be a woman from men. Martel says that in a guy's locker room, there's hardly ever a touch of modesty- the showers are open and communal, and everyone waltzes around naked. Tho I probably would be disturbed if someone was running around the locker room yelling "Look at my beautiful cooter!"

Sharing a restroom with ANYONE doesn't bother me, as long as they're not delivering a super-stinky payload in the stall next to me. I lock the door to my own bathroom in my house when i'm doing that!

It wouldn't bother me. I have had a lesbian friends that shared a suite with me and it didn't bother me a bit. I only have a problem using public restrooms, but that is because of cleanliness issues.

Hahahahaa, cooter. That never gets old. I love that word. :lol:

/end threadjack

The thought had never crossed my mind until reading this, but it wouldn't bother me. It's a bathroom- it pretty much has one use.

I love that everyone here is so tolerant of other people :thumbsup:

I, personally, don't give a damn who shares my bathroom as long as they're relatively clean and have the decency to spray air freshener after a droppin' a bomb.

I don't care who I share a bathroom with. Be it gender or sexuality, it doesn't matter to me. I've shared a bathroom with boys, straight girls, and possibly a lesbian. And not one of these situations bothered me.

Ok, let's expand the question a bit then. Suppose we change the parameters a bit.

Would you object to sharing a restroom, public or private, with a transsexual woman? Say, one of these women:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59...arcibowers.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59.../AndLynCal.jpg

I do share a restroom with a transwoman, the downstairs restroom restroom at home, and whenever Sissy and I visit a public restroom together. It's never occurred to me that this should bother me.

Gilda

Same answer applies... Maybe it's because I'm shy or anti social and don't talk to people I don't know... even more so in a restroom - -The only time I notice somoene in the restroom is when they are annoying me -- like talking on a cell phone...

A restroom isn't a pickup joint, it's not a social gathering place-- people get in -- do their business and get out-- I honestly wouldn't care what gender they were.

A transexual woman is a woman.

I'd still rather not share the bathroom with anyone, but if I have to go, I don't care who's in there, as long as they're not a creep.

And sage, the image you placed in my head of "beautiful cooter lady" still has me giggling.

I'm with everybody else who is shocked that this is even an issue.

In a public bathroom with stalls, I don't care who else is there or what their orientation is. I don't like going to the bathroom in front of anyone though, so if it is a single, the door is closed and I am in there alone.

Oh gosh no. I have had modesty issues about peeing, like when someone is in a single bathroom with me before, but never had it occured to worry about sharing one with a lesbian.

It doesn't bother me at all. It's not like a lesbian is waiting in the bathroom to prey on other women, they have to pee too.

Not one bit. I mean, those of us that attended excellant, cool colleges, all did! And it's just life & livng. One time in Mill Valley - I had to pee (bad) next to a large transexual "gal" at Sweetwaters Saloon and it was pretty funny. I dunno, I just kept smiling, cuz that's what I do best...sometimes. :)

No biggie and giggles all around. "W" Ha!

i don't think i'd have a problem at all sharing a bathroom with a lesbian. i honestly don't really see why someone would have a problem with something like that. are they afraid they're gonna get homosexually raped? that's just ridiculous.

:lol:

WELL PUT!
It doesn't bother me either. I go in and I get out and get on with whatever I was doing.

it seems sort of silly that it may even be a thought in anyones mind. it would never be an issue for me, and if somehow i made it an issue hypothetically i would kick myself and rethink my morals.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59...arcibowers.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59.../AndLynCal.jpg

A question from one of our male members:

"Are all four of those women transsexuals, or are you going for a "guess which one is a transsexual" thing? I'm just lost as to which was the intent. And is one of those women your sister?"

To answer the last part, no, none of those are my sister. She's twenty, a good decade and a half younger than the youngest one up there.

Those are all prominent transsexual women. Left to right they are:

Marci Bowers: Bowers is an OB/GYN practicing in Trinidad Colorado, where, along with doing all the stuff and OB/GYN does, she performs SRS surgeries on MTF transsexuals, about 200 a year. She took over the practice of Stanley Biber, who over the previous 30 years performed more such surgeries than any other person, about 7,000. Dr. Bowers has been named one of the best doctors in the US. If you seen the CSI episode Ch-ch-changes, she's there. As a couple of CSI's walk through a scene with a doctor, there is a group of MTF's listening to a presentation being given by a tall blond woman. They're distracted, and she say, "Ladies, over here" in a teacher voice. That's Dr. Bowers.

Andrea James: Businesswoman, consumer advocate, and voice coach. She taught Felicity Huffman how to speak like a transsexual and teachers MTF transsexuals how to sound like a woman. She wrote superbowl ads as an advertising copywriter, and maintains a web site that aids transsexual women in their transitions, as well as being a crusader for all women in exposing hair removal scams.

Lynn Conway: Pioneering computer engineer, arguably the most important computer engineer of the second half of the 20th century. Prior to transition, she invented generalised dynamic instruction handling while working at IBM. This is the basis for out of order instruction processing in computers, which all computers use. After transition, she was a key employee at DARPA, which developed the ARPANET, which later grew into the internet. As an employee at Xerox, she was one of the pioneers of VLSI design, which is fundamental to modern computer chip design. If you use a computer, the internet, or anything with a microchip in it, you're using something with components based on her designs.

Calpernia Addams: Actress, former US Navy medic, veteran of the first Gulf War. If you've seen the movie Soldier's Girl, that's her story, or the story of her relationship with Barry Winchell, an Army private murdered because he was dating Calpernia.

I didn't mean for it to be a "pick the transsexual" type of thing; I find those to be a bit demeaning. My point was that, other than being unusually tall women, these aren't women that I think anybody has any reason to be fearful of and are no threat to anyone in any situation, including in a bathroom.

Gilda

I have no problem sharing a bathroom with others of any gender or sexual preference.

As long as he or she doesn't pee on the seat and not clean up after themselves, I am fine sharing a bathroom with anyone.