Bathroom Debate

To the Editor:

The U.S. bathroom debate has become so irrational that people in other countries struggle to understand what we’re even arguing about.

Over the past 30 years, my work has taken me around the world. What stands out most is how different societies approach modesty, gender roles, and religion. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, I’ve seen women completely covered—some even wearing gloves and veils that leave only their eyes visible. Others, especially in more urban areas, push boundaries by showing their hair in public. Less than a decade ago, the religious police would strike women with a cane if they didn’t meet strict dress codes.

A friend of mine, a trained EMT, once encountered a fully covered woman in respiratory distress on the stairs to his office. When he offered help, she waved him away in terror. He called emergency services, who responded promptly. Later, his boss asked him repeatedly if he had touched her. He hadn’t. When my friend asked whether he should have simply let her die, the response was chilling: “Better one dead than two.” That’s an extreme example, but it shows how far religious ideology can distort compassion and common sense.

In Japan, I once experienced a very different kind of culture shock. While using a urinal in a men’s restroom, a cleaning lady calmly mopped the floor between my feet. I was so startled I likely created more work for her. It wasn’t seen as inappropriate—just normal.

Most recently, I entered a restroom in Seattle and saw a woman washing her hands. Embarrassed, I backed out and checked the sign. It read “Unisex.” Inside, the stalls had full doors. I went back in, did what I needed to do, and walked out without incident.

Now try to imagine any of these situations playing out here in Texas. Which end of the cultural scale makes you more uncomfortable? And more importantly, where do you think our political leaders are trying to take us?

Ian Julian La Grange