What is an all-gender washroom?
All-gender washrooms are available to all people, regardless of gender identity. It is a space where anyone of any gender can use the facilities in a safe environment.
Why are all-gender washrooms important?
Many people experience stress going to gendered washrooms. Here are several reasons why all-gender washrooms alleviate that stress:
- There is real danger for folx who don’t present as the gender they identify with of being confronted in gendered washrooms and being told they don’t belong;
- Parents with young children may experience harassment for bringing their child into the “wrong” washroom;
- People who require personal attendants who aren’t the same gender may have difficulty accessing gendered washrooms in public spaces;
- All-gender washrooms alleviate long lines often associated with gendered washrooms, and shorten wait times;
- All-gender washrooms create menstrual equity.
What is the difference between sex and gender?
Sex and gender are often confused to be the same thing, but they aren’t. According to the World Health Organization (the WHO), sex “refers to the different biological and physiological characteristics of females, males and intersex persons, such as chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs.” The Ontario Human Rights Commission (the OHRC) defines gender identity as “each person’s internal and individual experience of gender. It is their sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither or anywhere along the gender spectrum. A person’s gender identity may be the same as or different from their birth-assigned sex. Gender identity is fundamentally different from a person’s sexual orientation.” OHRC defines gender expression as “how a person publicly presents their gender. This can include behaviour and outward appearance such as dress, hair, make-up, body language and voice. A person’s chosen name and pronoun are also common ways of expressing gender.”
Gender is usually based on your sex assigned at birth (or the sex assigned to you by the medical establishment). However, gender is socially constructed, and some people don’t fall into the binary idea of male and female, and instead express their gender in a variety of different ways. Gender expression is the way in which one expresses their gender, which may or may not match societal norms associated with one’s gender identity.
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