Bathroom Usage

Sigh. The latest installment in the email arguments over our new church welcome is: "will we have to offer a transgendered bathroom if we open the church to transgenders and transsexuals?"

To be clear, we HAVE opened up our church to all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity (among other things). But, I seriously doubt that people who are looking for a place to worship are going to choose us based on whether or not we already have a gender-neutral bathroom. (We don't, though I see no reason why we couldn't do that in the future.)

I just don't think the bathroom issue is the biggest thing on people's minds when they're looking for a place of worship. Call me wild and crazy, but I think if people are looking for a church, they aren't first saying, "Well, the number one thing we need is a church with a transgendered bathroom." Perhaps they're looking for fellowship? Friendship? A decent worship experience? Programs for their kids? Some old-fashioned church music? A way to reconnect with parts of their past that have long been dormant? I doubt it's the bathrooms.

For the few readers who might really be concerned about the bathrooms, I'll offer this: most of the bathrooms in the church are super-small and therefore immediately locked once you're in them anyway. In other words, they're like your lavatories at home: private. They may currently be marked "women" and "men," but there's no reason the labeling on the doors couldn't be changed in the future, if someone voiced a need to have that done.

I'm sick of the stupid reasons people come up with for not welcoming all people to churches (and other places of worship). I'm pretty sure people who come through our doors will find our places of pee adequate enough.