Scores of Philadelphia’s public bathrooms would have to become gender-neutral and drop the labels “Men” and “Women” under legislation that is to be introduced Thursday in City Council.
The bill – which applies only to single-occupant bathrooms, not those with multiple stalls – would place Philadelphia among the first major U.S. cities to take a step long sought by transgender advocates.
“Using a public bathroom can be a highly stressful, rising to even dangerous experience for certain individuals,” said Helen “Nellie” L. Fitzpatrick, director of Mayor Nutter’s Office of LGBT Affairs, which drafted the bill. “It basically comes down to people policing other people’s gender.”