This year, there has been a lot of debate over who gets to use which public restroom. That's why it's surprising to be reminded that all over the country, there are people who believe it's their job to monitor who should and shouldn't be entering the ladies' room. The latest such reminder comes from Los Angeles.
On Wednesday night, Mary Looper attended the Carrie Underwood concert at the Staples Center and experienced something rather humiliating.
"Usually, I don't want to put my drama out there, but ignorant people still exist and it breaks my heart," Looper wrote on Facebook. "They literally just tried to escort me out of the women's restroom at the #staplescenter...shame on them."
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After receiving a number of supportive comments on Facebook, Looper described more of what happened: "Thanks everyone for the kind words. I get mistaken for a man all the time...it's no secret. But, for the fact that [Staples Center's] woman employee waited outside my stall for proof that I was a woman, didn't believe me off my voice...that's what hurt and had me shocked. I didn't wanna stir anything up, but never ever thought I'd be treated like that in a woman's restroom in L.A., in the Staples Center. Just a bummer it went that far."
In August, the California legislature passed a law to make all public restrooms in the state gender-neutral. It now awaits Gov. Jerry Brown's signature.
As pointed out by The Daily Dot, several people have taken to the Staples Center's Facebook page to voice their outrage at what happened to Looper. The venue has yet to respond.