Does Celebrity plan to have Transgender Bathrooms?

[Covepointcruiser]

Hello I got a tough question here,

 

My 15 year old son has come out as Transgender almost a year ago and has some concerns about the public area bathrooms on board. Basically he doesn't feel comfortable using either the men's or women's restrooms and says he gets strange looks at times. Of course he will be using our cabin restroom as much as possible, but he was curious if any of the cruise lines will be more inclusive for Transgenders in the near future?

 

I remember hearing in the news a while back that certain department stores are already on top of this issue.

 

Celebrity is very inclusive and most cruises have a large number of LGBTQ individuals. Have your son go to one of the daily gatherings and find how they cope with ladies and men’s rooms. He will have a lot of company on board. There is a cruise critic thread on LGTBQ cruising. He may want to look at the thread and make friends before you cruise.

[Turtles06]

Women always have to have a bathroom buddy which is why the line for the women’s room is always a mile long.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[keithm]

Hello I got a tough question here,

 

My 15 year old son has come out as Transgender almost a year ago and has some concerns about the public area bathrooms on board. Basically he doesn't feel comfortable using either the men's or women's restrooms and says he gets strange looks at times. Of course he will be using our cabin restroom as much as possible, but he was curious if any of the cruise lines will be more inclusive for Transgenders in the near future?

 

I remember hearing in the news a while back that certain department stores are already on top of this issue.

I'm gay & I've not heard anything about cruise lines doing this.. If they want to "convert" a few bathrooms to unisex, fine, otherwise, either do it during dry dock or install them on the newer ships as they come online.

Edited May 4, 2018 by keithm
changes

[keithm]

Celebrity is very inclusive and most cruises have a large number of LGBTQ individuals. Have your son go to one of the daily gatherings and find how they cope with ladies and men’s rooms. He will have a lot of company on board. There is a cruise critic thread on LGTBQ cruising. He may want to look at the thread and make friends before you cruise.

We found the LGBT meetings to be a totally lameass affair! They always held them at the martini bar on the Eclipse. Real dumb idea trying to meet similar pax in a place that's always packed. They should have a section in Skybar lounge. Princess & Cunard had well attended & well thought out locations for the get togethers.

[Covepointcruiser]

I'm gay & I've not heard anything about cruise lines doing this.. If they want to "convert" a few bathrooms to unisex, fine, otherwise, either do it during dry dock or install them on the newer ships as they come online.

 

I assume unisex would mean even straight folks can use them. It would be great as there is always a shortage of restrooms for women. Many times it has been quicker to just go back to the room. I would miss the nice lady who hands us towels and opens the door!

[Hlitner]

The last time I looked, there were 112 listed genders. So consider if a cruise line decided to be very PC and have public restrooms to please all those genders. Around the time I retired I had to deal with a transgender/rest room situation and it was very tricky (this was about 14 years ago). I was able to "thread the needle" by authorizing the TG person to use a single stall ladies rest room that had a lock. To be very honest, I was very happy to retire without getting caught up in the gender issues which now drive most HR folks to drink.

 

We have cruised on more than 60 different vessels (of 14 cruise lines) and have yet to see any kind of special accommodation for TGs or any of the many genders that exist (there are more identified every day).

 

Hank

[Cruise Junky]

To be very honest, I was very happy to retire without getting caught up in the gender issues which now drive most HR folks to drink.

 

Hank

 

I'm HR with a transgender employee. I have no issues, just takes some understanding on both parts. Don't get me wrong, there are certainly pitfalls. We had issues with a transgender employee in another branch which I still believe was a set up from day 1 on behalf of the employee. And that's a branch that we did have a gender neutral washroom. Here we don't. Just takes being open minded, understanding and communication.

 

And you don't have to have a bathroom to accommodate 112 genders, you just need one gender neutral bathroom.

[Covepointcruiser]

I remember years ago on TV, something McBeal, where a law office had a “Unisex” restroom. Was a new idea then. A lot of sex went on in the cubicles, provided a private place for the lawyers to really get together.

Unisex restrooms are not a new idea, TV had them many years ago.

[dkjretired]

. Nonsense, if you think that is why there is a long wait for the ladies you are dead wrong. We get the same or less stalls and don’t have the option of using the facilities without getting half undressed. We also have monthly inconveniences that take time. Please rethink your statement, it is disparaging!

 

Agree, basically it’s biology and because of that they can put in probably ten urinals for each few stalls. We also take less time.

[Covepointcruiser]

Agree, basically it’s biology and because of that they can put in probably ten urinals for each few stalls. We also take less time.

 

Thanks for your understanding reply!

[dkjretired]

Thanks for your understanding reply!

 

Your welcome and I always put the seat down.:):):):)

[K12Guy]

The last time I looked, there were 112 listed genders. So consider if a cruise line decided to be very PC and have public restrooms to please all those genders. Around the time I retired I had to deal with a transgender/rest room situation and it was very tricky (this was about 14 years ago). I was able to "thread the needle" by authorizing the TG person to use a single stall ladies rest room that had a lock. To be very honest, I was very happy to retire without getting caught up in the gender issues which now drive most HR folks to drink.

 

We have cruised on more than 60 different vessels (of 14 cruise lines) and have yet to see any kind of special accommodation for TGs or any of the many genders that exist (there are more identified every day).

 

Hank

 

112 genders? Too much for my simple mind, I guess.

[Swissmiss6253]

Good luck to both you and your son. I have never understood why bathrooms need to be gendered at all. With individual stalls, anyone can use them. I sailed with a transgender person a while ago and they, as they do everywhere, used the bathroom of their identified gender. It was, and is, always a tense time for them in case someone decides they aren't welcome.

[rubydoobydoo]

I think your son should use whichever toilet feels right, hopefully there will be no problems

[constantcruiser]

Starbucks in our area recently put up new signs on their single stall bathrooms. Both restrooms now just say "humans." I thought that was a very practical solution...until someone with a service dog complained!

[dkjretired]

Starbucks in our area recently put up new signs on their single stall bathrooms. Both restrooms now just say "humans." I thought that was a very practical solution...until someone with a service dog complained!

 

Did the dog seat himself or use the urinal.:):):):)

[Lois R]

i remember years ago on tv, something mcbeal, where a law office had a “unisex” restroom. Was a new idea then. A lot of sex went on in the cubicles, provided a private place for the lawyers to really get together.

Unisex restrooms are not a new idea, tv had them many years ago.

 

Alley Mcbeal.........

[Marelaine]

I think your son should use whichever toilet feels right, hopefully there will be no problems

 

Absolutely, the kid should use the toilet that matches his gender and no one else should make him/her uncomfortable about it. Sometimes teens lack the confidence to stick up for themselves, so I applaud the dad for trying to do some pre-emptive problem solving.

 

I noticed a single toilet bathroom near the theater that's accessible. There must be others. The Ladies room in the Ensemble Lounge has three stalls, but it's low traffic during the daytime.

[TheGinBoy]

Seth, I wish your son all the best on his journey. It won’t be an easy one for any of you - but as long as you have a child who is who they truly are and they are loved that’s all that matters right? A number of the venues have disabled toilets and in the absence of gender neutral faculties might I suggest those are the “best” option for now.

 

To those of you who made supportive and constructive comments: thank you. It can be just as difficult, if not more difficult, for the parents of children struggling to find out who they really are. We’re a community here - we should be supporting one another.

 

To those of you who made negative, unsupportive, or downright flippant comments: Shame on you. It’s not a complicated issue. Some people don’t always identify with the body they were born into. Some people choose to reassign, some people don’t. Neither deserve your scorn and “jokes”. Nor is it a complicated “PC” engineering challenge. It’s just changing a sign on a few doors to make some of the most disadvantaged and discriminated people in society feel more comfortable doing daily tasks we all take for granted.

 

I expect better from this community.

[TheGinBoy]

I am a gay man, living with HIV, who works with LGBT charities. I know all about deprivation, discrimination and stigma. Believe you me.

 

Trans people are disadvantaged and discriminated by society. That’s not me saying that, that’s a fact. There are numerous socioeconomic factors that feed into this.

 

Sure it might be uncomfortable for some of you, but it’s the way things are and the way things will continue to be.

 

As a society, as a community, I’d like to hope we can all rise to the challenge to make the world a safer and inclusive world for everyone.

[TheGinBoy]

Thankfully we’re lucky enough that Celebrity, and their parent company RCCL, is a LGBT friendly organisation and an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights.

 

I’ve reached out through my marketing contacts at both Celebrity and RCCL for their thoughts on this issue and sent them a full copy of the thread so far.

[Cruise Junky]

Thankfully we’re lucky enough that Celebrity, and their parent company RCCL, is a LGBT friendly organisation and an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights.

 

I’ve reached out through my marketing contacts at both Celebrity and RCCL for their thoughts on this issue and sent them a full copy of the thread so far.

 

Good, I’m glad you brought it to their attention. They are super LGBTQ friendly so I hope they act on this.

[TheGinBoy]

Thanks Cruise Junky. I really don’t like escalating things, but sometimes, when a whole group of people are being made to feel unwelcome it becomes necessary.

[TheGinBoy]

My friends at Celebrity have already pointed me towards their ‘Loud and Proud’ LGBTQ+ partnership

 

“Celebrity Cruises has a long and wonderful relationship with the LGBTQ+ community, and the importance of celebrating and promoting diversity and inclusion has never been greater, which is why I am so thrilled to announce our partnership with Miami Beach Gay Pride,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “I’ve said it time and again – you have to take a stand to stand out – and I am proud to say Celebrity Cruises stands with the LGBTQ+ community.”

https://www.celebritycruisespresscenter.com/press-release/1062/loud-and-proud-celebrity-cruises-new-partnership-celebrates-individuality-and-the-lgbtq-community/

I’ve also been reassured this thread will be shared at the highest level so that they can consider how best to respond

[TheGinBoy]

Or you could just say “they” or “them”. Two words. Hopefully you’ll have heard of them (see what I did there) before?

 

Or you could just use the person’s name.

 

Hey, Debbie. How’re you?

- I’m swell, Tom. How’re you doing?

Gosh, I’m great. Isn’t it wonderful how we can have a conversation without being fixated on gender or genitals?

- Sure is, Tom. Shall we have another Mojito?

Yes please,

- Ok fab. You order - I’m just popping to the bathroom.

 

Look at that. A conversation and a bathroom trip and we didn’t have to worry about tripping up over those “112” genders or pronouns.