In transitioning the women’s restroom in Todd Library to an all-user restroom, the most significant anxiety was male/female simultaneous use of the restroom. However, this problem is most prevalent when converting a men’s restroom to an all-user restroom because if the urinals are not removed, then it would be a liability issue if a male identifying person were to be using a urinal in an all-user restroom and a female identifying person were to walk into the restroom at the same time. For Todd Library, the restroom was a women’s restroom with no urinals to begin with. In being converted to an all-user restroom, when a male/female simultaneous use occurs, there will be ample privacy for everyone as each person would have to use a stall and all of the stalls are floor-to-ceiling stalls.
While offering single-user restrooms is a great way to ensure anyone and everyone feels comfortable when they need to use the restroom, a single-user all-user restroom in Todd Library would only convey the wrong message and not provide actual inclusivity in the library, for transgender and genderqueer individuals in particular. Forcing these individuals to use a single-user restroom is isolating and reinforces the idea that they are harmful to others and should be kept separate from everyone else. As the National Center for Transgender Equality reminds us, though, most people feel uncomfortable using public restrooms because of feelings of vulnerability, and these feelings have been felt long before recent debates about restroom access for transgender people (para. 7). Transgender and genderqueer individuals want the same amount of privacy in restrooms as anyone else, and the design of the new all-user restroom will ensure that everyone receives that privacy.
The assumption that transgender and genderqueer people assault other individuals in all-user restrooms is a myth. There is no evidence that gendered restrooms are safer for cisgender people than all-user restrooms. In fact, transgender and genderqueer people are the ones that face a high rate of harassment in gendered restrooms. According to the “2015 U.S. Transgender Survey,” nearly one-third (31%) of respondents experienced at least one type of mistreatment in the past year in a public space. Because of this fear of confrontation or other issues they might encounter, more than half (59%) of respondents avoided using a public restroom in the past year. In order to avoid using the restroom in the past year, nearly one-third (32%) of respondents limited the amount they ate and drank. And because of this avoidance of using a public restroom, 8% of respondents reported having a urinary-tract infection, kidney infection, or other kidney-related problem (pp.14-15).
Transgender and genderqueer people face higher rates of harassment in gendered restrooms than cisgender people. And in order to avoid facing this harassment, their safety and health are still put in danger as they skip meals and aren't properly hydrated and/or they give themselves UTIs from waiting to use the restroom in a safer location. This behavior is similar to what women experienced in the 1800s when put under a "urinary leash." Ultimately, women's restrooms were introduced into public spaces in order to accommodate their needs and make public spaces equal. The needs of transgender and genderqueer individuals are no different in the establishment of all-user restrooms.
As a library occupant or employee, you are under no obligation to use the all-user restroom. We do ask that you still respect the inclusion of this restroom in the library space, though. There are gendered restrooms located right outside of Todd Library. If you need help locating them, a library employee can direct you to their location.