There’s an issue that’s important to me, but that I haven’t really had much time to discuss here on my blog: safe places to change gender presentation. I would love it if some day we can all leave our houses dressed as any gender (or combination of genders) we like. In the meantime, it really helps to have a safe place where people can change gender presentation away from home.
When I first asked about this at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in 2000, I was told that changing clothes in the bathrooms was not allowed. Things have changed significantly since then. In 2004, Donna from the My Husband Betty message boards posted that there was an unofficial policy allowing people to change clothes in the “All-Gender” bathrooms on the second floor. Within the next two years, that policy was made official and the rules against changing clothes were removed from the lists. I have changed gender presentation several times in those bathrooms over the past three years, and the staff and other visitors have always been perfectly supportive.
This, to me, is one of the most important “transgender community services” that a center can offer. I hope you will agree with me, and tell that to the Center management when you take their Community Survey.