Making good use of airport "family" restrooms

[kamerynjlee]

During my limited travel while dressed as Kameryn, I have noticed that many airports have family and/or handicapped single-entry restrooms. They are seldom used, and would seem to be perfect for us because

1) for anyone afraid to go into the ladies' room, this provides a safe place to use the facilities (personally, I use the ladies room), and

2) seems like a good place to quickly change into your true persona if you're uncomfortable about going through security dressed, or if circumstances don't allow you to arrive at the airport already dressed.

Over the past 3 weeks, I've started to take note of these restrooms, and where they are. Not all airports have them, and maybe not all terminals. And, not all airport websites make mention of them. I was thinking of starting a list for the use of our traveling readers. What do you think?

Baltimore Washington - Southwest Terminal
Cincinnati - Delta Terminal
Nashville - Southwest Terminal

As I travel, I'll add more....many of you travel much more than I do.



Kameryn

[sandra-leigh]

Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver -- all of them have single-use restrooms in the secure area. They might be marked with a gender, but if people aren't looking right at you, just go into one of the single-use womens, come out presenting as a woman, and no-one is likely to notice.

I flew semi-femme within Canada a few weeks ago; no-one cared I did, however, discover that my nice belt had enough metal in the buckle to set off the detectors, so I got the full scan right down to the boot zippers (for domestic Canadian flights, you generally leave your shoes on when going through security.)

Last year, I flew domestically without a wig but with obvious skirts and blouses with notable "bust" both ways; Transport Canada (and everyone else in the airports) treated me fine all the way.

A question you need to ask is about flying en femme and going through immigration at the other end. In the large airports such as Heathrow or Narita (Tokyo), you might have trouble finding a single-use room to change back to drab before going through immigration. Hint in this regard: it can be difficult enough to find any washroom between disembarking and getting to the immigration area, but I have found that it is common that there are restrooms (not necessarily single-use) in the luggage-retrieval areas. I haven't happened to travel internationally since I started cross-dressing, so I'm going by memory on this one.

[Fab Karen]

I was thinking,what's a "family restroom"? - I see you mean unisex facilities.

[cosmolovesph]

Yeah I love them, the movie theater i go to enfemme at times gets used by me if nature calls

[TxKimberly]

Austin TX, Detroit MI, Charlette NC

[battybattybats]

Seriously I think crossdressers need to get involved in the Trans-rights issues including fighting the bathroom stuff.

But till we guarantee our rights this site may help http://www.safe2pee.org/beta/

[gender_blender]

Many malls have family/unisex rest rooms as well, which are typically much more clean and versatile than standard segregated bathrooms.

Charlie

[Persephone]

But till we guarantee our rights this site may help http://www.safe2pee.org/beta/

Now that's cool! Thanks Batty!

[LindaTS]

There's a web site www.safe2pee.org that list places for us. I added one that I'm aware of in New Hartford, NY. It happens to be a Target store and it seems like I read somewhere that most of their stores have one like it. I recommend adding to the list if you can.

[Ellen James]

In an interesting coincidence, I was visiting the Smithsonian Museum of American History last week, which reopened this year after renovations, and noticed that it seemed easier to find "Family Restrooms" than gender specific restrooms. I wonder if this is a national trend or just reflective of Washington, DC culture?