Neutral restrooms in Stuff

We went to see a movie last night. I talk to a lot of people about going out to movie theaters and I’m always surprised when they respond that they never see films in the theater. It’s always been a nice night out for me, and I’ve gone out to see a movie at least once a week for virtually my whole adult life. I think I’ve written here already that we traditionally go out to see a movie as a family every Saturday morning, and then in cases like this week, Mercer, Harry, and I went to another one on Thursday night.

As we’re leaving to go home, the kids mention they want to stop at the restroom. I don’t need to go so I wait in the lobby for them. Mercer is back within a few minutes and we’re waiting and waiting for Harry. We wait for what seems like a long time but was probably 5 minutes. I know all too well that there can sometimes be long lines in the ladies restroom, but there didn’t seem to be too many people around and I was getting concerned/impatient.

I asked Mercer if he had any idea what was taking so long and he sighed and said, “Because she’s waiting for the gender neutral restroom.”

I was perplexed. I asked him what he meant and he went on to explain that it’s Harry’s new thing that she’s been doing lately, refusing to use the women’s restroom if there is a gender neutral option. She does it, of course, as some sort of statement that all restrooms should be gender neutral.

I’m not sure if I’m to blame for this or if it’s Olsen’s fault.

Could be my fault because it’s been a talking point in my life for years that I don’t understand why men and women have to have separate restrooms. There are very few things that we separate like that anymore. I don’t see the point of it. (Although I know many women that disagree because they think a restroom shared with men would be dirtier.)

Could be Olsen’s fault because she’s been such an LGBT activist lately and is always talking to everyone who will listen about gender inequality and was particularly up in arms about gender neutral restrooms a few months ago when it was briefly a big news story.

But I don’t understand what Harry is going for here. All she’s really accomplishing is inconveniencing herself. It’s not exactly a political statement if no one else is bothered by her waiting in line for the single stall restroom even if there’s available stalls in the ladies room.

Mercer didn’t seem to care at all until I got impatient. Then he suddenly seemed equally annoyed.

When Harry was finally ready we started walking out to the car and I said, “What’s going on? You like having your own bathroom?” I was intentionally playing dumb because I knew there was more to it than that.

She responded, “I just think gender neutral restrooms are the way to do it. It’s only fair for people that don’t identify as male or female.”

There was a long pause, and then I said, “It’s good that you have something you care about, sweetheart.”

And that was that. Unless it turns into something more.