Bathrooms, Bodies and Belonging; What Makes A Woman, Really?

*"This episode is about more than bathrooms or locker rooms—it’s about belonging. For too long, fear has dictated who is allowed to enter certain spaces, whose bodies are seen as valid, and what makes a woman ‘real.’ But when we peel back that fear, we discover something deeper: inclusion creates safety.

By sharing my own locker room experiences, I want to name the truth that trans women, trans men, and nonbinary people aren’t a threat in these spaces—we’re simply people who want to change clothes, use the bathroom, and feel at home in our bodies like everyone else.

Bathrooms and locker rooms don’t have to be battlegrounds. They can be spaces of trust, dignity, and respect. And when we center belonging over fear, we make space for all of us to breathe easier."*

• Research finds gender-identity protections do not increase bathroom/locker-room crimes; violations remain exceedingly rare. (Williams Institute) 
• 2025 synthesis: allowing trans people to use facilities matching their identity does not increase risk to others; restricting access harms trans people. (Williams Institute) 
• 2024 Trevor Project survey: 46% of trans/nonbinary youth seriously considered suicide in the past year. (The Trevor Project) 
• U.S. Transgender Survey (2022, early insights): 22% reported being harassed/assaulted/denied service when IDs didn’t match presentation—illustrating real-world stakes of “policing” access. (A4TE) 
• Examples of the rhetoric you’re responding to (for context): major outlets document repeated claims portraying trans recognition as dangerous or “contagion.” (Los Angeles Times)