Trans truths #13 toss your trash discreetly
(Did I used to call these tips? I can’t remember my own words. Help me out, would ya?)
This is for folks who are comfortable using the men’s restroom in public, yet experience unfortunate cyclic bleeding in unfortunate private places. I will not say the word. I will also refrain from using anatomical language. HOWEVER I do have to talk supplies, articles of clothing, and bathroom etiquette. We good?
Background: Most stalls in a male-gendered bathroom stalls do not have a little silver trash box hanging on the wall. Times are a changin’ (even if the government’s gone to shit), and more and more locations are upgrading their facilities to support the changing population need. ALSO tampons are really for clogging drains, just like “flushable” wipes, and, of course, pads.
Call this a procedural guide to discretely dispose of used items and packaging in a men’s restroom.
It takes a little forethought and packing (no, the other kind of packing. Like you put stuff in your backpack for school.) :)
your pads/tampons of choice
A few small ziplock bags (the 1/2 sandwich size? The really little ones?)
A few alcohol or handwashing wipes
Optional: a pocket pack of tissues (usually the regular toilet paper works just fine)
Wear something with pockets. It is totally fine to pack different items in different pockets. If you’re at school or work, putting on a jacket before you use the bathroom gives extra pockets. You MUST put all your items in your pockets before hitting the bathroom. If you’re out and about, by all means, take your computer bag, waist pack, carry-on suitcase, etc.,or whatever you usually carry into the bathroom.
You’re in the bathroom stall. Do your business first and use toilet paper and toss it in the toilet, but wait to flush.
Clean your hands with a wipe.
Open your little bag, line it with a few layers of toilet paper or tissues.
Flush the toilet immediately before removing your protection. If you use something makes a sound when it peels off your underwear, the flush sound will cover the peeling.
Keep ahold of the bag, and remove your used protection, and drop it in the bag. If the TP in the bag saturates, add some more, but don’t sweat it.
Unwrap and apply fresh protection. If that makes a sound, just flush the toilet again.
Put the refuse/packaging in your zippy bag and zip it tightly. If you can’t hold onto it while you get dressed, put it between your shoes. Trust me, no one cares in the mens’.
Pretend to cough or sneeze. Pull out some more toilet paper and cough again or blown your nose. Wrap that TP around the outside of your bag.
Leave the stall. Throw away your “tissues” in the regular bin.
Wash your hands at the sink with soap and dry them. Look at your hands, not in the mirror. Toss your towel in the regular trash and be on your way.
This is rare, but if someone makes eye contact with you or says “hi” or something, give a tiny smile or shoulder nod and move on past. (As I’ve said before, people are dicks who believe they have the right to know and infer everything about you from a single glance. Sometimes people assume a person using a stall is either quite young—which, well, a lot of transguys look young—or they think you have a disability. They probably think they’re being politely social, but it’s a douchy thing to do.)
