At a commercial facility in Osaka, there was a problem that a female customer entered the women's toilet and was notified to the police because the gender on the family register was male and the gender identity was female.

Experts have pointed out that it is necessary to think about how to live together while acknowledging the diversity, and the police are carefully considering whether to treat it as a criminal case.

According to the investigators, in May, at a commercial facility in Osaka City, a female customer in her 40s who had a male gender identity and a female gender identity entered the women's toilet, and the facility reported to the police. there was.



When the police asked about the situation, he said, "I've always liked women's toilets since I was a kid, and I'm aware that I'm a woman. I said that.



This customer is working as a man at work, but on his days off he was out in women's clothes.



Subsequent investigations have confirmed that it is a transgender person whose mind and body do not match, so police are carefully considering whether to treat it as a criminal case.



Other customers complained to the commercial facility that "a man dressed in a woman's clothes is scared to use the toilet every weekend."



Professor Takashi Kazama of Chukyo University, who is familiar with gender issues, said, "I think it was a conflict between the transgender desire to use a toilet that suits gender identity and the anxiety of women using the toilet. The current situation is that people around us have no choice but to make judgments based on their appearance because they cannot see them. "

Explanation of the parties

The reported transgender user is telling the investigators that he is wearing a mask and dressed as a man at work.



It is said that he has always liked things for women and had a romantic feeling for men.



He acted as a man, paying attention to his surrounding eyes, but he used to wear make-up and women's clothes at home.



He also said, "No matter how much you talk, you won't understand your feelings."

Experts ...

Professor Takashi Kazama of Chukyo University, who is familiar with gender issues regarding this case, said, "I think it was a conflict between the transgender desire to use a toilet that suits gender identity and the anxiety of women using the toilet." I am.



Professor Kazama said, "The desire to live a life that suits gender identity should be respected." I think that you can use a toilet that is suitable for gender identity with understanding and understanding, but since gender identity is invisible, people around you judge by appearance etc. in places used by an unspecified number of people such as public toilets. The current situation is that there is no choice but to do it. "



And, "Ideal is to have an environment where people of all genders can use the toilets that do not distinguish gender. Originally, the desire to live according to gender identity and the desire to live with peace of mind are never at odds with each other. No. In today's society, it is necessary for the entire society to think about how to live together, recognizing that transgender and women find it difficult to live due to gender issues. "

Transgender people When using the toilet when going out ...

According to interviews with parties, support groups, and experts about the use of toilets by transgender people whose mind and body do not match, many people start using the toilets when they approach the appearance of self-identified sex. That is.



On the other hand,


▽ people who get bladder inflammation due to stress when using the


toilet ▽

people who get

dehydrated too much to avoid using the toilet as much as possible


▽ gender identity as a response when the surroundings feel uncomfortable Some people carry a medical certificate for their disability.



The LGBT Research Institute, which conducts training and market research for companies related to LGBT with the housing equipment manufacturer "TOTO", conducted a survey three years ago on the stress of sexual minority people using public toilets. ..



According to this,


▽ 31.3%

of transgender respondents

said that they were stressed by


"

the line of sight of the surroundings when entering" and

▽ 23.5%


said that they were stressed by

"the attention and indications from the surroundings when entering"

.

Prepare a toilet environment that anyone can use

The move to install toilets for sexual minorities has already begun.



Of these, Osaka University began installing all-gender toilets that can be used by anyone regardless of gender for four years.



A transgender faculty member said, "I'm reluctant to enter the toilet of the gender of the body, but I feel that the toilet of the gender of the mind may not be acceptable in appearance, and it is stressful." It was an opportunity.



The letter "A", which represents all gender in English, is written on the door of the toilet, and the color is black and white, which does not distinguish between genders.

As of September, there are 28 locations in the university.

The Daimaru Tokyo store near Tokyo Station has also installed a toilet that anyone can use for three years.

It is installed separately from men's and women's toilets and multipurpose toilets, and has both blue and red humanoid pictograms to make it easy for anyone to use.



It was set up in line with social movements to promote understanding of sexual minorities.