Editing Public toilets
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==Advocating for gender-neutral restrooms== | ==Advocating for gender-neutral restrooms== | ||
There has long been a common misconception that having separate restrooms for men and women helps prevent assault. However, facts don't support this assumption. | There has long been a common misconception that having separate restrooms for men and women helps prevent assault. However, facts don't support this assumption. For preventing assault, a single-occupancy restroom is more effective. There is no reason for a single-occupancy restroom to be only for a certain gender. A gender-neutral, single-occupancy restroom makes public places safer for everyone.<ref name="trans bodies 576" /> | ||
Most public places only offer baby changing tables in the women's room, which can be a problem for fathers, and for any other caretaker who feels out of place in a women's room. Caretakers of babies, children, or other dependents want gender-neutral, single-occupancy restrooms. People who have disabilities want accessible, single-occupancy restrooms. Transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and gender nonconforming people can unite with these groups to organize and advocate for these improved public restrooms more effectively.<ref name="trans bodies 473">Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. ''Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community.'' Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 473.</ref> | Most public places only offer baby changing tables in the women's room, which can be a problem for fathers, and for any other caretaker who feels out of place in a women's room. Caretakers of babies, children, or other dependents want gender-neutral, single-occupancy restrooms. People who have disabilities want accessible, single-occupancy restrooms. Transgender, nonbinary, intersex, and gender nonconforming people can unite with these groups to organize and advocate for these improved public restrooms more effectively.<ref name="trans bodies 473">Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. ''Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community.'' Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 473.</ref> | ||
These are some resources for people who want there to be gender-neutral restrooms in public places. | These are some resources for people who want there to be gender-neutral restrooms in public places. | ||
* Transgender Law Center. (2005). ''Peeing in peace: A resource guide for transgender activists and allies.'' | * Transgender Law Center. (2005). ''Peeing in peace: A resource guide for transgender activists and allies.'' http://transgenderlawcenter.org/issues/public-accomodations/peeing-in-peace | ||
* Sylvia Rivera Law Project (Producer) & Mateik, T. (Director). (2003). ''Toilet training: Law and order in the bathroom'' (DVD). United States: Silvia Rivera Law Project. | * Sylvia Rivera Law Project (Producer) & Mateik, T. (Director). (2003). ''Toilet training: Law and order in the bathroom'' (DVD). United States: Silvia Rivera Law Project. | ||
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How to find gender-neutral public toilets anywhere, and how to handle situations where these aren't available. | How to find gender-neutral public toilets anywhere, and how to handle situations where these aren't available. | ||
* [http://www.refugerestrooms.org/ Refuge Restrooms] is a replacement for Safe2pee. It also has an iOS app available. | * [http://www.refugerestrooms.org/ Refuge Restrooms] is a replacement for Safe2pee. It also has an iOS app available. | ||
*[ | *[http://safe2pee.org/ Safe2pee] is a crowdsourced world map of public toilets that are genderfree and/or accessible. There is an iPhone app that uses the information so that you can find places when you're out and about, called [http://transquat.tumblr.com/ Transquat.] | ||
==Restroom signs== | ==Restroom signs== | ||
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These kinds of signs have disadvantages: | These kinds of signs have disadvantages: | ||
* '''"Family restroom" signs''' can be seen as excluding people who are not being a caretaker of babies, children, or other dependents at that moment. Sometimes people who are by themselves get told they are not allowed to use them. | * '''"Family restroom" signs''' can be seen as excluding people who are not being a caretaker of babies, children, or other dependents at that moment. Sometimes people who are by themselves get told they are not allowed to use them. | ||
* ''' | * '''Toilet/urinal signs''' can still be used to single out people who are expected to be able to pee standing up. | ||
* '''A transgender symbol''' is not | * '''A transgender symbol''' is not an internationally familiar symbol to everyone. Restrooms need to be marked with a universal pictogram, so that people who do not read the local language can recognize them without having to ask for help. (Many people are too shy to ask.) A trans symbol is not a universal pictogram for a restroom. | ||
* '''Humorous restroom signs''' can seem cute and lighthearted. However, some such signs have jokes on them that are transphobic or are about sexual assault. Humorous restroom signs can act as a conversation-starter that can be a set-up for harassment. Even a tasteful joke on a restroom sign can make it harder for people who do not read the local language to recognize that this is the door to the restroom. | |||
* ''' | |||
These are some examples of different kinds of gender-inclusive restroom signs, each demonstrating different advantages and disadvantages. | |||
These are some examples of | |||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:Gender neutral bathroom sign.png|Trans symbol | File:Gender neutral bathroom sign.png|Trans symbol | ||
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File:Gender inclusive restroom sign Dartmouth College Hanover NH August 2016.jpg|"This is a gender inclusive restroom" | File:Gender inclusive restroom sign Dartmouth College Hanover NH August 2016.jpg|"This is a gender inclusive restroom" | ||
File:Gender Inclusive Restroom.JPG|"Gender inclusive restroom," with lengthy explanation | File:Gender Inclusive Restroom.JPG|"Gender inclusive restroom," with lengthy explanation | ||
File:Carson Kitchen - Dec 2019 - Stierch 02.jpg|"Whatever, just please wash your hands" | |||
File:25hours Vienna Restroom Sign.jpg|An example of a joke on a unisex restroom sign that is in bad taste, because it suggests that unisex bathrooms are a place for sexual harassment. | |||
File:Carson Kitchen - Dec 2019 - Stierch 02.jpg|"Whatever, just please wash your hands | |||
File:25hours Vienna Restroom Sign.jpg| | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== |