Wednesday, May 03, 2023

"universal" washroom



A joke:

Question: What do you call a non-binary deer?

Answer: Dear.





Here's a cool version of a washroom sign at the Husky/Tim Horton's in Canmore. Very thematically appropriate as you'll know if you've ever been in Canmore or looked it up on a map.


Silver sign on wooden door, with figure with pants and deer buck head, another figure with skirt and a deer doe head, a wheelchair with a deer sitting in it, and a stroller with a fawn in it. Text says "Universal Washroom" with Braille below it.



One thing that's missing, despite its claim to be "universal", is that it still presumes two genders, as seen by the standard figure with pants with a buck's head and the standard figure with a skirt with the female deer head. 

What to put instead? 

How about a toilet? With a wheelchair to indicate barrier-free, and an image of a change table... Maybe the words "Restroom" or "Toilet"

Nowhere near as fun as antlers, I must say...


But going deeper, the problem with this sign is that it is conventionally unconventional - it is still cisheteronormative regardless of cute imagery. It is based on the foundation that presumes everyone is cisgender and heterosexual. 

And that's simply not true and not inclusive of all of God's creation.

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