- I started my transition
when I was in my 20s,
when I was about 21 years old.
I would get the experience of other women
freaking out about me using the restroom,
and that became very dangerous for me.
In 2005, I was involved in a hate crime,
and I was shot in the face,
and I lost my right eye.
I have a glass eye now.
That's when the world changed for me.
The bathroom is often the start
of trans people experiencing
violence out in the world.
LA LGBT Center implemented
gender-neutral restrooms
about six years ago, so
not that long of a time.
Even within this space,
which is very inclusive
of trans people, there was some pushback
from gay-lesbian individuals
who didn't understand
what that would mean.
I think, over time, people
have really understood
that it's about safety and inclusion.
It's about creating a space
that is safe to everyone.
This is the city of West Hollywood,
the epicenter for the LGBTQ community,
really our home, our safe space.
- We're ahead of the curve, I guess,
in trying to lead, hopefully.
Like, in no time, everyone's doing this,
not only in the city, but
statewide, nationwide.
Everyone's taking this step.
- I'm one of the fortunate ones.
You hear of trans women
who've been viciously beaten
in the women's restroom,
who have been dragged out
of the women's restroom,
sometimes by other women.
When the show, Transparent,
they have a scene
where the main character
who is a trans woman
is harassed in the bathroom by a family,
and seeing something like that is so sad
because it reminds me, personally,
of just how much fear
people have of trans people.
In reality, trans people just want to use
the restroom like anybody
else and then leave.
ENDA died because of the bathroom issue.
The discussion became, in Congress,
about, "So should we
have genital verification
"before we allow people
to use the restroom?"
"Isn't it dangerous to use a
restroom with a trans person?"
My biggest hope that will
come out of all of this
that trans people will become a part
of the fabric of America.
