Transgenderism is a “social experiment” for a better society

On June 3, Mike Huckabee, a US Presidential candidate, argued that transgenderism is a “social experiment.” Although Huckabee’s and my opinions on gender identity issues greatly differ, there’s merit in the essence of this statement.

With headlines blown up by Caitlyn Jenner’s vogue debut, BuzzFeed videos going viral about transgender transitions, and public advocacy booming for gender neutral bathrooms, the question of gender and its place in society is a hot topic.

People like Huckabee like to joke about the ridiculousness of situations in which preexisting gender roles are questioned. In his speech addressed to the National Religious Broadcasters’ convention, Huckabee says that he would have pretended to be transgender if it meant showering with girls in high school, and that children shouldn’t have to see men in the women’s bathroom, implying that it’s inappropriate.

In both situations, Huckabee depicts men as stereotypically hyper-sexualized. He makes it seem as though it would be commonplace for boys to go so far as to change their gender identity in every aspect of their lives simply to ogle girls in a bathroom, an environment which I promise the former Arkansas Governor is far from sexy, no matter what porn tells him.

By saying that men in women’s washrooms is subjecting children to something inappropriate, Huckabee implied that parents should be worried about pedophiles in women’s washrooms. But something tells me that a woman in a men’s washroom would not concern Huckabee further than an awkward glance, rather than fearing for his children’s safety.

Putting aside the issues of gender and how people are classified, why would a straight man in a women’s washroom really be a threat? Are all men pedophiles? Why are washrooms any different than other public spaces such as busses — if a man sat near your child on a bus, would you be scared for their safety?

As a former Barbra Rae co-ed residence inhabitant, I can personally advocate that seeing men in my washroom isn’t as big a deal as naysayers make it out to be.

For the first week or so of using a co-ed bathroom (showers and all — shocking, I know), I did find a male presence a bit off-putting; but this is because I was outside the boundaries of what I had been taught was normal, not because I was worried for my safety or concerned about my privacy.

The borders placed upon gender and the classifications that come with it are taught to us, which also means public attitudes can be taught to change in the future. The popularization of topics such as transgenderism and gender identity in general brings to light the way people are taught to interact with one another.

I personally think that people like Caitlyn Jenner are advocating not only for transgender people but also for a generally better society. If transgenderism is a “social experiment,” I’d argue it’s a positive one.

We need to reevaluate the way we approach gender; the way we assume all men are predators, the way we feel that everyone must fit into a neat box. These on-trend topics act as a platform for a social experiment in bettering the way we, as a society, treat one another. It’s just time to make sure that people like Huckabee don’t drown out those looking for newfound equality.