Starbucks chairman says their bathrooms are open to all

Story at Information Liberation. I realized this is mere irritation, more provocation, that's not worth the trouble of watching it fizzle.

Who cares what Starbucks does and and doesn't do with their bathroom? Did you care about Starbucks' bathroom tribulation?

At first I thought the article meant the bathrooms would be converted from men and women to men and women and everything in between and beyond. Assumed by the title alone. But skipping the article and dropping down to comments showed that they mean everyone. Including ... dun dun DUN ... non-customers. I was wrong because transgendered bathrooms were a huge discussion last night on a European site, and all the usual accusations were flung back and forth, and the customary control through language, don't call them tranny's that's the same thing as saying, "I'd like to introduce to my faggot uncle Frank,"  and I realized this discussion was intended to divide. It's people drawing attention to themselves, look at me, look how odd I am, look how horrible you're treating me because I am odd and draw attention to myself, while all along people are using whichever bathroom they choose. Then divide further downline between positioning provocateurs and regular sane settled people. I't intended to disrupt. While all along everyone has been using the bathroom they choose.

A person in transition doesn't have to go full drag one way or the other just to use the bathroom. Everyone doesn't have to be aware of unique situations. Everyone doesn't have to be forced to care. Just shut up and go to the bathroom. Pick one, and go.

While reading I flashed through all the times I used the ladies bathroom without a single incident. When you gotta go, you gotta go, and those little signs take on far less significance to you than you messing your pants. I almost wrote shitting your pants but then corrected myself just in time.

This is the power of canes.

One time at Whole Foods in Boulder, pre-cane, there was a line of men to the men's bathroom and no line to the women's bathroom and I had to go. I stood in the line for a moment then said, "F this" and and walked into the women's bathroom. No one else was in there. When I came out the men were still standing. None of them said anything to me (that I know of). They all looked at me. Maybe they were thinking, "well, he's special."

One time was a little bit funny. I had to really go, and I don't mind saying so. I recall the scene but not the location of the scene, it was Target or K-mart type of place. I needed the key to the locked bathroom, the men's bathroom was occupied. Some man had the key inside the men's bathroom. A very kind, understanding, compassionate woman with short cropped hair and no makeup and dressed exactly as men do, took up my problem and procured the required key and for some reason stood guard outside the bathroom. She didn't give me the key, she stood outside until I was done and walked with me back to the store. I am really starting to dig lesbian women. I'm beginning to see more in them than ever before. I was dismissive, but that's changing. They come to me to assist even in times like this when I don't need it. They could have just given me the key. But she made herself part of the solution to a problem as she perceived it. And this is happening a lot. A stocky woman with short cropped hair and no makeup dressed as men do positions herself next to me very close when nobody else is around to walk at my pace across an icy street. (The street was not icy, the sidewalks were but only in specific untended patches. Still, she cared, she perceived I might have a problem, and she put herself forward to help me. I didn't need help but I do like her being a good Girl Scout. I accept her reaching out.)

The most recent incident was at Taste of Philly with my brother, sister-in-law and nephews. "I just now used the women's bathroom because the one for men is occupied." The boys thought that was funny. My sister-in-law took the boys into women's bathroom. There was no urgency. It's just a drag to get up and down for that.

According to activists the problem is conservatives always getting up in other people's business and making life difficult for minorities,  and not the people drawing attention to themselves and their unique situations.

Look, Michael, use whatever bathroom you want. You have all along and nobody hassled you. Nobody is checking. Nobody will hassle you, no matter what the law is. Nobody cares.

Honestly, nobody cares no matter how flamboyantly you flounce against Republicans and against your conceptualization of conservatives. Just go to the g.d. bathroom.

More of this at upworthy.com

As for Starbucks, nobody gives a shit. Literally. Just make a point of cleaning your property, now that you've announced yourself public facility.