Worcester City Buildings To Get Gender-Neutral Bathrooms By 2022

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester is embarking on a new initiative to create gender-neutral restrooms in almost all buildings owned by the city, including schools, libraries and any other facilities open to the public.

Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. on Sept. 8 signed an executive order to begin the initiative, which was timed to coincide with city's annual September gay pride celebration. The order requires all city buildings to have at least one inclusive bathroom by the end of 2022.

"The city of Worcester embraces the diversity of its residents and non-residents, and is committed to providing an inclusive and non-discriminatory experience for all people visiting city-owned buildings," the order says.

Under the city's definition, a gender-neutral or inclusive bathroom is one that contains a single toilet and has a locking door.

In some cases, the city will only have to change signage on a bathroom door. For example, several single-toilet bathrooms near the City Council chambers at City Hall got new gender-neutral signs within the last year. In other cases, like with city schools, new bathrooms may have to be built, said Director of Accessibility Jayna Turchek. Discussions over capital costs will likely play out in the coming months in front of City Council.

Turchek said the initiative came during a regular review of accessibility in city buildings. The initiative could also boost the city's non-discrimination score from the Human Rights Campaign — the city has a perfect score, but missed bonus points for a lack of all-gender bathrooms.

Inclusive restrooms are seen as a key civil rights protection for transgender and non-binary people. In 2018, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question creating a prohibition on gender discrimination. Public accommodation for restrooms was a part of that question.

"The law requires any such place that has separate areas for males and females (such as restrooms) to allow access to and full use of those areas consistent with a person's gender identity," the ballot question said. "The law also prohibits the owner or manager of a place of public accommodation from using advertising or signage that discriminates on the basis of gender identity."

Worcester will join other local institutions in creating non-gendered bathrooms.

The Worcester Art Museum removed gender labels from single-toilet bathrooms in 2016. Many local colleges, including Worcester State, Clark and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, also have them. Last year, Worcester Public Schools said the new South High Community School would get gender-neutral bathrooms.

The city's order only applies to municipally-owned buildings that the public has regular access to. For example, a fire station not regularly open to the public would likely not fall under the order.