Kavulla And Turnbull Trivialize An Important Issue

To the editors:

Although I am often tempted to respond to op-ed pieces in the Crimson, the comment by Travis R. Kavulla ’06 and Alex B. Turnbull ’05 on May 7 (“Stalling Progress”) finally put me over the edge.

First of all, I am personally insulted that the authors would call the current bathroom situtation, with respect to transgendered individuals, a ‘petty’ issue. Is verbal and physical abuse a ‘petty’ concern? What about being arrested for entering the ‘wrong’ bathroom? Granted, I know of no Harvard-specific examples of transgendered individuals (or any other individuals, for that matter) being arrested for entering the bathroom of the ‘wrong’ gender, but there are certainly incidences of this in the ‘real world.’

Even without Harvard examples of actual arrest or physical abuse, however, verbal abuse due to bathroom confusion certainly takes place on this campus, and has happened to me personally several times, at least once in interactions with professional proctors during exam period. For the record, I do not identify as a transgendered individual, but I am a somewhat androgynous-looking (both by choice and by genetics) woman who often has trouble ‘passing’ as a member of my own gender. I certainly would not feel more comfortable entering a men’s restroom, although it is entirely possible that, in some instances and some clothing, I would have no trouble doing so.

Secondly, the piece in question confuses the terms ‘transgender’ and ‘transsexual’ throughout; I would suggest that the authors actually research these terms (and, indeed, the issues at large) if they want to make any kind of insightful commentary on trans issues.

Third, ‘transphobia’ is not a term invented by Stephanie Skier or the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered and Supporters Alliance (BGLTSA), just as homophobia is not. Additionally, while some of the language in BGLTSA statements could perhaps be viewed as ‘inflammatory,’ this is often quite necessary; the loudest voices get the most attention, and if we all sat around politely mentioning that perhaps the University might like to, well, uh, maybe consider possibly changing some positions and policies, nothing would ever be accomplished based on student input. While it is certainly important to be polite (to a degree), it is just as certainly important to be heard. Furthermore, The Crimson has a habit of changing the language of statements and interviews (sometimes even attributing quotations to individuals who never technically agreed to interviews) when publishing articles, and I have no doubt that the ‘inflammatory’ language of the BGLTSA could be due at least in part to such editorial license.

I am also offended that the authors would equate ‘mere convenience’ with the aforementioned plight of transgendered individuals attempting to find a safe bathroom. For one thing, a straight, non-gender queer individual can easily enter an opposite-gender marked single occupancy restroom and, if approached on exit, shrug and explain that he/she really had to go; I have done it in gas stations, and really nobody cares. But a trans individual (or even a queer individual such as myself) trying to enter a public, multiple-occupancy restroom faces the threat of verbal and physical abuse, angry questions, surprised screams and even arrest or other police involvement. This clearly goes beyond inconvenience.

MK EAGLE ’06

May 11, 2004

The writer is a staffer at the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered and Supporters Alliance Resource Center.