A strange man asked me an intrusive question…while I was sitting on the toilet in a women’s bathroom.
He wanted to know if I was female or male.
I basically had an anxiety attack.
Do you know how alarming it can be to have a man yelling at you through the door of a bathroom stall?
I wrote about what happened for HuffPost.
We talk a lot about transgender rights here, but sometimes it takes a personal experience to help people empathize with our marginalized communities.
My story is one example of the public harassment faced by women with short hair, trans folks, and anyone gender-nonconforming.
This is why bathroom bills are a threat to women and girls, trans or not. These laws embolden members of the public to harass anyone who doesn’t fit a narrow definition of what women or men “should” look like within the gender binary.
If you’re here from HuffPost, welcome! Thanks for reading my story. I appreciate you!
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Rey Katz
Rey Katz
Rey Katz
Next week, I’m publishing a behind-the-scenes look at what went into writing and editing this essay for HuffPost. Please subscribe so you don’t miss it!
Take care,
Rey
