New York City Legislation Would Require Public Bathrooms Be Gender Neutral

New York City Councilman Daniel Dromm, who represents Queens, will introduce legislation, which was proposed by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, that will require all public bathrooms to become gender neutral. 

According to Stringer, the measure is an effort to make transgendered people feel safer.

“We must look to help trans-gender individuals who quite frankly, have fears,” Stringer said. “This is a very important issue. It’s time to help individuals who identify as transgender to use the bathroom without fear of consequence.”

Eoghann Renfroe, the manager of transgender education and advocacy at the Empire State Pride Agenda, said he’s experienced discrimination.

“Being transgender, it’s not about the bathrooms,” Renfroe said. “It’s that other people try to make it that way. This step is simply just a way to make things more equal for everybody, to stop transgender people on a basis that doesn’t really exist. I’ve been aware that it would not be safe for me to access the facilities appropriate for my gender. So having a space where a basic necessity of the body, where we can actually go and do that without fear of being assaulted, is pretty important.”

Businesses would have to replace signs.

“We’re not talking about constructing new bathrooms or spending any money, except basically purchasing a sign,” Stringer told the local CBS News affiliate. “Just putting a sign on an existing bathroom will go a long way to reducing discrimination.”