The Practical Necessity for Gender-Neutral Bathrooms
Whether it's a public business or a private office, your business is nearly guaranteed to have restrooms. While you likely already have restrooms that are designated for males or females, one of the biggest trends in public spaces is installing gender-neutral bathrooms. Denoted by their accompanying gender-neutral signs and largely adopted for reasons of inclusivity, these restrooms are now a matter of legality in some states.
No matter whether your jurisdiction requires them or not, it might be best for your business to make the switch to gender-neutral restrooms. Serving multiple purposes, these restrooms are becoming increasingly common in today's culture, and for good reason. Before you have your business follow suit, make sure that you know all that's required for gender-neutral signs, as well as how they differ from traditional restroom signage.
Why are Gender-Neutral
Bathrooms Necessary?
As mentioned, many states have sought to replace traditional gendered bathrooms with restrooms that are more inclusive and representative of a larger spectrum of gender identification. Beyond this, they mostly serve a similar purpose as pre-existing "family restrooms," many of which could be used by adults of either sex to change infants' diapers or for similar circumstances.
Another, more pragmatic reason is that some businesses simply only have one restroom to use, with gender-neutral bathrooms allowing anyone to use these facilities. They can also help to keep bathroom lines to a minimum, with guests and staff alike able to use any restroom that's available. Perhaps the biggest reason that any business should look into adding gender-neutral bathrooms is that several states have begun to require them in public spaces. Even the International Code Council has updated its codes to reflect these new standards, making gender-neutral restrooms more of a ubiquitous necessity.
Requirements for a Gender-Neutral Bathroom
When it comes to OSHA and workplaces, the organization recommends that all single-occupancy restroom units be designated as gender-neutral, while also suggesting that multiple-occupant facilities become gender-neutral restrooms with lockable single occupant stalls. Currently, each state and local government has the freedom to do what they wish regarding gender-neutral bathrooms. Some whole states have enacted such requirements, while in other cases, it's merely one city within the state that has enacted this change.
For the most part, these laws and requirements are fairly similar, necessitating that all single-user restrooms not be tailored to a specific gender. From there, the verbiage for these ordinances changes, with some requirements being that the restroom signage must simply read as "Restroom" and be open to any gender. It's worth remembering that the supremacy clause (article VI of the Constitution) states that federal law trumps state law when the two contradict each other. Thus, there's no easy way to say what else is required for gender-neutral signs.
Which Locations Require Gender-Neutral Bathrooms?
Here is a list of states and cities that have enacted their own mandates:
States and districts with requirements for gender-neutral bathrooms:
California: all single-user toilet facilities in any business, place of public accommodation, or government agency must be identified as All-Gender
Illinois: single-use bathrooms cannot have gender markers and all public places must make single-use bathrooms gender-neutral
Nevada: all single-occupancy public restrooms must be as inclusive and accessible to all genders as possible, prohibiting use of signage indicating that these facilities are for a specific gender
New York: requires all single-occupancy bathrooms to remove male/female signage and replace it with signage indicating that the facility is open for use by all genders
Vermont: all areas of public accommodation - schools, restaurants, stores, and other establishments - must simply label single-user bathrooms as "bathroom" or "restroom," without any sort of gender identification
Washington, DC: all single-occupancy bathrooms must be gender-neutral
Individual cities with gender-neutral bathroom mandates:
Austin, Texas: all public single-user restrooms must have gender-neutral signage, with failure to comply being classified as a Class C misdemeanor
Baltimore, Maryland: at least one single-user restroom must be available in public facilities for everyone, regardless of gender
Denver, Colorado: 2016 ordinance requires all businesses to have updated gender-neutral signage for single-occupant bathrooms
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: requires all local business with single-occupancy restroom to update their signage to indicate that the facility is gender-neutral, or else be fined up to $2,000
Portland, Oregon: all existing single-user gender-specific restrooms must be converted to all-user restrooms
Sante Fe, New Mexico: any single-user toilet facility in a public place must be made available to any person, regardless of gender identity or sex
Seattle, Washington: newly built/pre-existing buildings, allows use of single-occupant restrooms by any person
Looking to the Future of
Gender-Neutral Bathrooms
Much of the required transition to gender-neutral bathrooms came after June 2018, where 18 states, along with Washington, D.C., adopted anti-discrimination laws concerning gender identity. Beyond this, however, the debate over their requirement remains at a state and sometimes city-level.
For instance, despite the lack of any overall requirements in the state, a recent ordinance passed in Savannah, Georgia allows for different sexes to use the same bathroom. Whether this or similar ordinances will result in requirements for single-user bathrooms to be labelled as gender-neutral is unknown, and the future of such changes across the country is also hard to parse.
The All-Gender Bathroom Sign
In recent years, the term "all-gender" has become more prominent than "gender-neutral" signage, as it is meant to be more all-encompassing. They come in a variety of styles with just as many pictogram choices, such as a simple toilet, handicap symbol, or a combination of both. What denotes them as "All-Gender" restroom signs is text that reads either "All-Gender" or simply "Restroom," keeping things open-ended and inclusive.
Signage Design Requirements
The biggest things that separate gender-neutral restrooms from gendered restrooms is the verbiage, and in some cases, the pictograms on the signage. This can get confusing, as there are both "gender-neutral" and "all gender" restroom signs, making many question what the differences are and how they could apply to their business.
The only real requirement for areas mandating gender-neutral bathroom signage is that said signs cannot specify a particular gender or sex. They can refrain from doing so by utilizing the aforementioned verbiage, or by simply having the text "Restroom." Similarly, signs for gender-neutral restrooms can feature male and female pictograms together, the juxtaposed male/female pictogram, or a mere toilet symbol.
There are otherwise no universal rules, especially since these mandates aren't nationwide. Anything else depends on the jurisdiction.
For some businesses, especially those within states that don't have gender-neutral bathroom signage mandates, it's best to just stick to the standards. For instance, mens restroom signs, with their masculine pictograms, are instantly recognizable, with any employee or customer that reads them immediately knowing their purpose. Obviously, one would use these signs to denote any restroom intended only for males. They should also be coupled with handicap restroom signs for single-user bathrooms.
Businesses wishing to accommodate the whole family can do so with custom signs, tailoring these to turn them into family restroom signage. With one toilet and a wide-open space to be handicap accessible, these bathroom facilities allow a wide range of individuals to use them and offer a greater sense of privacy. For moms and dads in particular that need to change an infant's diaper or take an opposite-gender child to the restroom, family restrooms are the perfect place to do so without feeling uncomfortable.
Businesses within states that don't have gender-neutral bathroom signage mandates can choose to employ mens restroom signs. With their masculine pictograms, these signs are instantly recognizable, with any employee or customer that reads them immediately knowing their purpose. Obviously, one would use these signs to denote any restroom intended only for males.
Just as there are signs for mens restrooms, there's the accompanying signage for the females. These signs will feature the word "women,"" along with a feminine pictogram. There are several modern variations to this design, allowing womens restroom signs to be both gender-specific and forward-thinking.
Another way to be inclusive and compliant with restroom signage is by ordering handicap bathroom signs. These mark restroom facilities that can be used by those with impaired mobility, making a business more accessible to all types of customers. Handicap restroom signs can be ordered for both mens and womens restrooms, as well as unisex bathroom facilities. In the case of the latter, the signs will feature three pictograms (male, female, and handicap) and the text "Restroom."
No matter who is in the restroom, the most important part is that the facility and those who use it are clean. Install "Wash Hands" signs to remind everyone that cleanliness is key, and that washing their hands after using the restroom is just part of everyday etiquette, especially when in a public setting. These are especially important in businesses such as restaurants, where employees come into contact with items that customers could be consuming. In these cases, business owners will definitely want to install "Employees Must Wash Hands" signs to instruct their workers on the proper expected hygiene.
Unfortunately, human trafficking continues to be a scourge in modern society, with the horrific crime being committed under the noses of many. Restrooms can be one of the main places where signs of human trafficking may be noticed, which is why it's imperative to install Human Trafficking signs within these and other areas of a public business. These signs contain vital information, namely the phone number to the National Trafficking Hotline, that can help to bring an end to this societal menace. There are also state-specific versions of these signs that adhere to different codes.
We stand in the fight against human trafficking and encourage anyone who suspects an instance of human trafficking or exploitation to call 911 or the 24/7, toll-free National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Should you have any additional questions about the ins and outs of all-gender bathroom signs, talk to a friendly customer service artisan! We also have a code-compliancy expert on staff that can assist you with any code-specific guidance you need. Otherwise, with numerous customization options, quality product guarantees, and our unmatched product guarantees, you can have confidence that you're getting the best bathroom signs there are at signmojo.com.
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