Guest Column: Making Our Restrooms Safe for Democracy

By Paul Rogat Loeb

It isn't often that a Senator changes how I see the physical world,but Larry Craig did. Connecting through the Minneapolis airport for thefirst time since his arrest, I had to use the facilities, and wondered,"Is this the one?" They should put up a plaque. Or name it the LarryCraig Memorial Men's Room. After sitting down, I became hyper-aware ofmy surroundings, now that I knew the secret foot-tapping codes. Notwanting to inadvertently create an incident, I kept looking at thesides of the stalls and worrying that if I sat slightly too widely, thevice cops would come charging in.

Then I realized that I'dhave to sit painfully widely to reach someone else's stall. And withoutgorilla arms, it would take a contortionist to reach beneath thedivider accidentally. With my newfound awareness, I've noticed the samein other restrooms as well. In fact, in three decades of flying andusing airport men's rooms, no one has ever reached under my stall.Reassured, I'm now able to do my business as usual and head off for myflights.

I do want the problem to be solved, however, sinceour restrooms need to be made safe for democracy. I hear theMinneapolis airport is now stepping up to the task by overhauling thesuspect men's room stalls, spending $25,000 to install extended metaldividers that will shave nine inches off the current foot-high gap. ButI have a cheaper solution: Why not just place some stickers saying "NoRepublican Senators?" That would solve the problem.

Paul Rogat Loeb is the author of The Impossible Will Take a Little Whileand Soul of a Citizen. See www.paulloeb.org