[Jett]

I totally agree with your line of thinking Cheryl... I don't think gender separation is flawed, I think it's crucial some gender spaces remain separate. The separating by sexuality doesn't fly with me because though sure same sex "abuse" does happen... when's the last time anyone's heard of a lesbian rapist terrorizing the women of a city? So I'll be honest whenever I hear that retort that "it's not just the men who are violent" I feel like flipping the bird and walking because that's really splitting hairs it's finest and feels dismissive to the plight of violence against women by men, like blowing off something that needs more awareness not downplay.

That said, I've used the mens john, and mens changing room as I said I don't think about that last one as it's the dept. I'm shopping in. I need to start thinking though, masculine or not the implications for a female in that space are be the same. I think similar to Bull and Jess I've been more thinking comfort level, because when I do use the womens room(s) I do feel like I may startle or make someone uncomfortable though it's usually only for a moment. But bottom line it certainly doesn't make me personally uncomfortable for my own sake to be in or use female only spaces but it does in mens.

And as it's been said I don't feel "afraid", but I do feel very "aware" when I'm in men's spaces or men are in certain spaces, and I don't think you have to be afraid to be smart about controlling those cross interactions whenever possible. I don't think I can justify using the mens anything room at this point, for what end? That I don't make someone do a double take at me and then the sign on the door? They almost always have the "aha" moment anyway and we all survive the 10 second ordeal.

Thanks for making me re-think...
Metro