Wicked Problems: The Transgender Bathroom Debate

2016 has been a year filled with polarizing political views and debates about many hot button issues/topics. One particular issue that has received a lot of attention this year is the idea of very strict gender bathrooms and a discrimination of the transgender community. The transgender community has always experienced discrimination and prejudice because people often fear what they do not understand. This year the transgender community has received some positive and nationally televised attention. Bruce Jenner transitioning to Kaitlyn brought lots of attention to the community and gave the community a larger pubic voice. Recently Rupaul Charles winning an Emmy, and the fame and voice of Lady Gaga. These two are huge supporters for transgender rights and the LGBTQ community as a whole. Unfortunately, positive cannot come without negative and one major problem this community faced this year was the transgender bathroom debates and the legislative bills being passed banning transgender people from using their preferred bathroom. 

The transgender bathroom debate caught traction when people, (especially white heterosexual people) made claims that transgender individuals were predators and were going to hurt them or their children if allowed to use their preferred bathrooms. A few states took quick action and passed state bills declaring that transgender people could not use their preferred bathroom to keep everyone safe, complicit, and “happy”. This is definitely an example of a wicked problem because the issue is some much more than black and white, it has many underlying variables and viewpoints.Using deliberative engagement which is the process of identifying the underlying values of the particular wicked problem in this case transgender bathroom laws. The only way to accomplish this is with very detailed and intense conversations about difficult issues, which is not something that happens very often in western society especially about a taboo topic like this. While reading the wicked problem article I noticed that all the points about the decision making process were correct. There are not enough viewpoints brought into the “groan zone” which means that by the time they get to decision making the select view with power have crated a narrow scape that is very limiting to everyone but themselves. This is a cycle that needs to be broken and recently has been attempted with the use of deliberative democracy. The idea behind this term is; educated and passionate people are helping there communities find and use the proper tools to tackle and actually solve wicked problems. This is a very positive movement and I believe it is a step in the right direction for the political climate and society as a whole.