There are many things that cisgender adults have the luxury of taking for granted that transgender persons cannot afford to do. One of those is using the restroom. For many transgender individuals, something as routine as going pee means a choice between two uncomfortable--even dangerous--alternatives.
“Many trans folk face the choice of being yelled at in one bathroom or physically assaulted in the other, so there is a lot of fear,” says Teagan Widmer, the founder of Refuge Restrooms, an application for transgender individuals.
“I know trans people who routinely ‘hold it’ when they are out just to avoid the bathroom. Holding it on a regular basis can increase the chance of UTI's, so its a major issue.”
Teagan is a graduate of Pacific Union College, the daughter of an Adventist pastor, and a trans woman. Just over a week ago, Teagan launched an iOS application designed to take some of the anxiety out of taking a trip to the restroom. Read full story...