POLITICAL ASPECT
Bathrooms, simple yet complex. Throughout history, bathrooms play a larger role than its original function: political arenas. When Apartheid was practiced in South Africa, it made laws forcing the different racial groups to live and develop separately. Thus, any forms of exchange, under any social or cultural lens, may be seen as “illegal” and highly “inappropriate”. Not only was the dilemma of separated bathrooms provoked by racial discrimination, it was also brought up by others, such as differences in ethnicity, social class, and sexuality. All of which constitutes “standards”.
SOCIAL CLASS AND OTHERED GROUPS
The segregation of bathrooms is clear evidence that pre-set standards exist. Dining etiquettes exist to tell you what angle a wine bottle should be held, and where your eyes should be when eating. Which dress to wear, which smile,... We live in a world where standardized norms tell us what to do. And it is those standards that are the hardest to go back against, especially for the “othered groups”.
In the book “The Help”, Aibileen, a colored woman, though felt intimidated listening to the threatening conversation, still responded “No, ma’am, everything’s fine” when being asked if she wished things were different. Although, her “turned away eye-rolling” contrasts her spoken response. Even though Aibileen has her own opinions, the answer she gave towards things parallel with expectations of how a “colored help” should respond.
The conversation in the book draws a glimpse of our real world. An opinionated and aggressive character, Miss Hiller, has most power over the controversial talk and is willing to “punish'' anyone who disagrees. Others who try hard to be liked would respond “That’d be nice” in agreement. The weaker characters just be silent. In this situation, just because they have different skin color from the ruler, because they were non-white, civil rights are being put aside.
CIVIL RIGHTS
“Some think that if race isn’t involved, discrimination is not about civil rights. But civil rights go way beyond race.”
The right to access a toilet is basic human needs and rights, and should be seen as an equal necessity of all human beings. However, motivated by discrimination and social standards, bathrooms turn into places of humiliation and intimidation. When discrimination is involved, the fact that we are all biologically humans is being put aside. Discriminated actions bury human rights under assumptions of “safety measures” and rules. At the end of the day, however, we are all humans and should be treated as such.
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