The perfect solution to b...nce symbol

ALEXIS WEINRICH

The gender-neutral bathrooms at Meyers + Chang are adorned with the Prince symbol.

By Kara Baskin GLOBE CORRESPONDENT JUNE 14, 2016

WHERE Myers + Chang

WHAT Bathroom doors painted with the gender-neutral symbol used by late pop star Prince.

WHOSE IDEA Make no mistake: The crew at Christopher Myers and Joanne Chang’s Asian diner are huge Prince fans. Fittingly, the idea to switch out an “M” and “W” to indicate their men’s and women’s bathrooms took root shortly after the star died in April. “Our general manager, Kristi McNeil, loves Prince,” explains colleague Alexis Weinrich, who painted the crimson symbols on both doors. “It’s a perfect, all-inclusive symbol for everyone, and it gives Prince a little love. We were all really sad, and this was just a light bulb moment for us. We’d been thinking of changing the signs to say ‘Anyone’ and ‘Everyone,’ but this fit.” Some customers are perplexed when deciding which bathroom to use, though, now that either one is fair game. “It’s funny,” says Weinrich. “Some people get it right away — but others are a bit confused and aren’t sure which gender symbol it is.” Just the way Prince would like it.

Myers + Chang, 1145 Washington St., South End, Boston, 617-542-5200,www.myersandchang.com

Kara Baskin can be reached at kcbaskin@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @kcbaskin.

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I really dont like Princes symbol being on a bathroom

nursev said:

I really dont like Princes symbol being on a bathroom

I know we can't know definitively, but I wonder what Prince would think of it.

NO.

Prince really would not like that. He never did like that symbol being used and he said so in an interview. He didn't like people putting it as tattooes on their bodies either.

That's where U go 4 a P

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

Prince really would not like that. He never did like that symbol being used and he said so in an interview. He didn't like people putting it as tattooes on their bodies either.

what do U mean, 'he didn't like that symbol being used'? You mean by other people or in general? Do you know what year he said this or where the interview came from?

I think Prince did not like it being used in other ways, by other people, as well as for something like a gender-neutral restroom. And also, it would be a problem as well, because the symbol is trademarked.

This is an abomination.

[Edited 6/20/16 18:22pm]

FlyOnTheWall said:

nursev said:

I really dont like Princes symbol being on a bathroom

I know we can't know definitively, but I wonder what Prince would think of it.

Knowing how he was about stuff that belonged to him Im gonna say he wouldnt like it especially on a bathroom

It's Trademarked, ya know! At least a version of it is.

nursev said:

FlyOnTheWall said:

I know we can't know definitively, but I wonder what Prince would think of it.

Knowing how he was about stuff that belonged to him Im gonna say he wouldnt like it especially on a bathroom

Perhaps his estate will request that it be removed. If not, this could start a trend, as gender-neutral bathrooms are becoming more widespread.

Bunsterdk said:

He did take that symbol very seriously and didn't like people making fun of it even though he loved jokes in general and could laugh at himself too. This had a deeper meaning to him even if the rest of us don't always get it. I'd say this is at least up there with Rosie's Taffy jokes. He'd probably hate it.

I don't think anyone, in this case, is making fun of it.

FullLipsDotNose said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

Prince really would not like that. He never did like that symbol being used and he said so in an interview. He didn't like people putting it as tattooes on their bodies either.

what do U mean, 'he didn't like that symbol being used'? You mean by other people or in general? Do you know what year he said this or where the interview came from?

In the interview with Larry King on CNN in 1999, Prince briefly talks about this between 6:50 and 7:20. He doesn't mention tattoos though... https://www.youtube.com/w...8mg7CxAYUM

Where is the source for the alleged interview where he said he didn't like people using his symbol? I'd like to hear or read it in full.

CherryMoon57 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

what do U mean, 'he didn't like that symbol being used'? You mean by other people or in general? Do you know what year he said this or where the interview came from?

In the interview with Larry King on CNN in 1999, Prince briefly talks about this between 6:50 and 7:20. He doesn't mention tattoos though... https://www.youtube.com/w...8mg7CxAYUM

Thanks!

FullLipsDotNose said:

Where is the source for the alleged interview where he said he didn't like people using his symbol? I'd like to hear or read it in full.

(See my post above)

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

Prince really would not like that. He never did like that symbol being used and he said so in an interview. He didn't like people putting it as tattooes on their bodies either.

Which is why he gave out as a typeface to journalists in 93/4 expressly to be used....

NouveauDance said:

CherryMoon57 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

what do U mean, 'he didn't like that symbol being used'? You mean by other people or in general? Do you know what year he said this or where the interview came from?

In the interview with Larry King on CNN in 1999, Prince briefly talks about this between 6:50 and 7:20. He doesn't mention tattoos though... https://www.youtube.com/w...8mg7CxAYUM

If I understand that correctly, he had a problem with it cause people would trade it deliberately regardless of he thought about it. I'm not sure if he talked about commercial use only though.

That symbol on the bathroom could also mean that only His Purpleness is allowed to enter...

nursev said:

I really dont like Princes symbol being on a bathroom

Are you not sexy enough to enter?

Thank you Oldfriendsforsale. He said the symbol is copyrighted, never knew that. He keep saying his "SO CALLED FANS". I know what he means.

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

Thank you Oldfriendsforsale. He said the symbol is copyrighted, never knew that. He keep saying his "SO CALLED FANS". I know what he means.

it is trademarked but similar protection applies... in this case I think it would be a violation. But then again the lower part is OLD and the rest is a circle. (but i do think the estate would win)

[Edited 6/21/16 7:39am]

NouveauDance said:

Wlcm2thdwn3 said:

Prince really would not like that. He never did like that symbol being used and he said so in an interview. He didn't like people putting it as tattooes on their bodies either.

Which is why he gave out as a typeface to journalists in 93/4 expressly to be used....

*

I don't know about Prince saying he didn't like people using his symbol, but, when he disseminated the typeface to journalists, it was so that they could refer to him by his chosen new name. It seems a bit presumptuous for the owners of the restaurant to assume that Prince would be cool with them using his name as a moniker/symbol for which bathroom to use. Of course, I have no idea what Prince would think about this as we all know that he could laugh at himself. But, again, it just seems a bit presumptuous to think that someone would be cool with this without asking that person. As such, since they are unable to "ask," it would seem that the decent thing to do would be not to use something in a way that “might” be offensive to the owner of the symbol/name. I always try to err on the side of caution, but that’s just me.

So did Glam Slam and Paisley Park have "gender neutral" bathrooms?

If he were still alive, that place would've gotten a C&D before the paint dried.

[Edited 6/21/16 8:15am]

There are a lot of folks here saying that we can't possibly know what Prince would think of this. Of course we know. He would greatly disapprove of the use of one of his trademarks regardless of the cause, but he certainly wouldn't agree to it in this instance. Ask Wendy and Lisa what Prince thinks of any lifestyle other than straight. Ask Prince about the theocratic order. This SHOULD come as no surprise to a reasonable person, but Prince was very conservative. He was under the delusion that our government is run by some shadowy secret society, but if he hadn't been he would probably have ended up closer to the Republican side of things when it came to gender nuetral bathrooms for the use of trans-people. Unless the beliefs he espoused in his public life are completely different than his private feelings then there can be no other likely answer.