Readers React: Gender is just a ‘social construct’? What else is up for debate?

To the editor: Susan Stryker would have us believe that “sex-segregated public bathrooms are unnatural ‘social constructs’ — human inventions,” whose forms are subject only to new morals and political pressures. (“Everyone poops. No one should be stigmatized or criminalized when they answer nature’s call,” Opinion, April 30)

She argues that the real biological differences between the sexes — those that have informed our designs from time immemorial and much of our accumulated scientific knowledge as well — should be discarded, recognized as mindless “cultural scripts” worthy of eradication.

Since thus there would be no “differences” between the sexes, we would be free to “socially construct” any differences we choose, ignoring all real scientific considerations, hewing only to our new morals and hyper-individualistic politics.

This is a “1984” redux, but, as then, no one will buy it.

John Martinez, Anaheim

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To the editor: I loved the piece by Stryker advocating gender-neutral bathrooms. It mentioned (for the first time I’ve seen) why unisex toilets are good for everyone, such as women who have to pee but don’t have enough stalls (always an issue at large venues), dads who have to change their daughters’ diapers, and people like me with disabled husbands who cannot manage without help.

Recently at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, an airport employee told me that my husband (who’s in a wheelchair) would have to use the men’s room alone instead of me taking him into the ladies’ room, which has all of its stalls enclosed.

Of course, I ignored this employee, but the specter of being hauled off to jail for doing so makes me rethink ever going to the Deep South.

Cathy Colt, Beaumont

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To the editor: Stryker correctly concludes in her piece, “Everyone poops, and everyone pees, but no one should be stigmatized or criminalized when they answer nature’s call.”

All that is now needed is to change the signage outside restrooms, eliminating male and female figures or gender designations on or above doors, replacing all those with just one universally understood word: “Whatever.”

Lawrence Berk, Ventura

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