"Vintage" bathroom gender documentaries are too familiar

These films date back almost 15 years - if they were Nickelodeon kid's TV shows, they'd be uploaded to Youtube and labeled "vintage" or "old school". And yet their documentation of transphobia in bathrooms exactly matches the 2017 news reports of people being harassed, criminalized, and systemically barred from using the restrooms that match their gender identity. This is not to say that nothing has changed - in some American states and localities, protections for trans people in public spaces have come a long way. But I highlight these films to show that we still have a long way to go.

Toilet Training (2003) - 26 minutes. https://vimeo.com/85470055

Healthy adults use the bathroom 4 – 8 times during the day and 1 – 2 times per night. TOILET TRAINING surveys the policing of gender in restrooms–persistent discrimination, harassment, and violence towards people who do not culturally fit as male of female. What happens when laws are broken and order is disrupted in the bathroom? Through anecdotal case studies, TOILET TRAINING focuses on bathroom access in public space, in schools, and at work and related problems associated with “holding it.” Concluding with examples of policy change, TOILET TRAINING provides a necessary foundation to address this overlooked issue. Companion guide: https://srlp.org/files/2010%20toolkit.pdf

Wrong Bathroom (2005) - 8 minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFDaYIsOWQk or https://vimeo.com/126215307

Written, shot, and edited, by Shani Heckman. This is a short documentary blending humor and formal interviews explores the under-reported problem of a lack of gender neutral restroom spaces. featuring lynn breedlove, bryan burgess and melissa lawton.