A recollection of my personal experiences of using public restrooms as a transwoman in the Philippines, as well as those bathroom stories shared to me by transwomen friends, gave me the urge to pen this reaction piece on how trans* and gender non-conforming people, through seemingly innocent, apolitical practices such as using the toilet, are 'queering' citizenship by asserting their right to access public spaces that validate their gender identity (including the uniqueness or possible lack of it). In this essay I attempt to re-examine transgender bathroom politics as a way of reconfiguring citizenship practices by incorporating in my analysis Holloway Sparks' (1997) concept of 'dissident citizenship', Shane Phelan's (2001) exploration of queer/ing communities, citizens and citizenship, as well as Martin Manalansan's (2008) queering of the 'chain of care' paradigm.
From a privileged cisgender-heterosexual perspective, bathrooms can be seen as relatively innocuous, neutral spaces where people come in to be able to comfortably pee/poop, change clothes, freshen up and fix their appearance. However, a closer examination of the history of public bathrooms in the US reveals how these spaces have been heavily governed by classed, racialized, able-bodied and gendered norms and exclusions:
"Over 150 years ago, only wealthy people could afford bathrooms in their homes …show more content…
4.). Bathrooms are probably the most basic spaces where self-care is practiced. Relieving oneself, grooming, engaging in chitchat with fellow bathroom users—these are some of the activities where subjects cultivate their sense of self and enjoy their freedom to be. If we deny this pleasure to transpeople, we not only strip them of their basic rights, but we also prevent ourselves from maximizing what the potential of inclusive, alternative citizenship projects could
From a privileged cisgender-heterosexual perspective, bathrooms can be seen as relatively innocuous, neutral spaces where people come in to be able to comfortably pee/poop, change clothes, freshen up and fix their appearance. However, a closer examination of the history of public bathrooms in the US reveals how these spaces have been heavily governed by classed, racialized, able-bodied and gendered norms and exclusions:
"Over 150 years ago, only wealthy people could afford bathrooms in their homes …show more content…
4.). Bathrooms are probably the most basic spaces where self-care is practiced. Relieving oneself, grooming, engaging in chitchat with fellow bathroom users—these are some of the activities where subjects cultivate their sense of self and enjoy their freedom to be. If we deny this pleasure to transpeople, we not only strip them of their basic rights, but we also prevent ourselves from maximizing what the potential of inclusive, alternative citizenship projects could