Both represent efforts by oppressed groups to meet specific needs. Just as schools are acknowledging the religious needs of certain students, so schools and, indeed, society as a whole, should strive to understand and accommodate the urgent requirements of, as former NJ Governor Jim McGreevey so aptly described himself, Gay-Americans.

My thinking is we should celebrate the rich potential of American men's rooms -- where ALL men are equal -- by building both foot-washing stations AND informational signs that explain the subtle signifiers of gay cruising. Everybody benefits with fulfillment of religious obligations and, well, fulfillment of other needs. And for that special population with a foot in both cultures -- can this be heaven on earth?

Some readers may reasonably object to the posting of cruising guidelines. Do gays merit special treatment? My answer: This is not special treatment. This is simply a health and safety consideration. You wouldn't want gay men madly tapping and waving away and confusing straights (or disappointing the uninitiated, if they're a wee bit curious about Gay-American culture) or arousing the ire of police? that could lead to long faces and handcuffs, which can chafe and embarrass. Being upfront about behavior that will happen whether narrow-minded homophobes like it or not is a better approach. Let's accept that this happens, that a large and growing population of Gay-Americans are expecting this treatment in response to their rich cultural needs, and act accordingly.

In fact, I predict that in the months to come, we'll see an exciting synergy between the foot-washing and foot-tapping cultures. Since both are concerned with issues of health and safety, I see natural commonalities and opportunities for sharing. Guys might start saying things like, "Hello, sailor, do those little piggies need a washing?"