By Rachel Waldron
In last month’s issue of The Loop, a guest piece questioned the inclusion of transgender individuals in public life, raising concerns about privacy, facilities, medical care, and community values. Open dialogue is part of what makes Vashon vibrant, but when public commentary touches on human rights and health, our conversation must be grounded in facts, accurate statistics, and empathy rather than fear.
A central argument in the piece relied on concern for Muslim families, asserting that “4.5 million American Muslim families” are displaced by trans-inclusive facility policies. From a factual standpoint, this statistic is incorrect. Demographers estimate the total population of all Muslim individuals of all ages in the United States to be around 3.5 to 3.8 million, making the total number of families closer to 1 million.*
Beyond the numbers, Islamic traditions around modesty (Haya) deserve a nuanced look rather than a sweeping generalization. Single-occupancy, lockable gender-neutral restrooms already fully align with traditional Islamic guidelines. In larger, multi-stall facilities, challenges can arise for women who wear a hijab and need a private space to adjust their headscarf away from shared sinks.
This is where good design comes in. From an architectural perspective, inclusive spaces are an upgrade. By equipping full-height, fully private stalls with internal mirrors and small washbasins, we can grant Muslim women total privacy to adjust a headscarf while ensuring the overall facility remains safe, efficient, and accessible to everyone. Combined with open entryways that maintain high visibility in primary common areas, thoughtful design increases safety for all users. If our primary community goal is truly protecting women and youth, the most practical solution is to build more single-occupancy family restrooms or dedicated children’s facilities.
Safety, however, cannot be framed around panic over who enters a restroom. The reality is that you cannot spot a predator, a mentally ill person, or someone with a fetish simply by looking at them, and that applies to both men and women. No one undergoes the immense social stigma, risk of bullying, and threat of violence associated with being trans just to enter a public restroom. Meanwhile, forcing a female-passing transgender woman into a men’s room puts her at severe, immediate risk of harassment and assault. Transgender people are not entering public facilities to “flaunt” themselves; they are simply trying to navigate daily life with basic safety and dignity.
Critics often suggest that support for trans inclusion is born of spoon-fed media narratives, but nothing could be further from the truth. Those of us supporting trans family members, friends, and neighbors have done the research because it is our loved ones whose lives and well-being are on the line. Decisions around gender-affirming care are carefully managed alongside doctors, social workers, and medical experts who weigh potential treatment side effects against the devastating, well-documented risks of forced suppression, including severe isolation, bullying, and suicide. Most parents would choose to manage a medication’s side effects over losing their child.
When it comes to competitive sports, binary divisions based strictly on gender have always been a blunt instrument. A more forward-thinking approach is grouping athletes physically by skill level, weight class, or performance tier rather than gender identity, ensuring every athlete competes where they fit best.
Vashon has long prided itself on being a sanctuary of kindness, understanding, and acceptance. Queer and trans islanders are our neighbors, children, coworkers, and friends. They already face immense external pressure and hostility in the wider world. The very last place they should feel unwelcome or unsafe is right here at home on Vashon.
~ Rachel Waldron
* Editor’s note: No authoritative count exists, but in the 2020 Census, about 4.5 million Muslim individuals lived in the U.S, not 4.5 million Muslim families.
