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All-Gender Restrooms - Planning & Managing Restrooms during COVID

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All Gender Restroom
DIVERSITY & ACCESS OFFICE

The Institutional Equity & Access Unit, including the Diversity & Access Office and the Office of Sexual Assault & Relationship Abuse Education & Response (SARA), request that building managers thoughtfully consider restroom choice and usability for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary (TGNC) community members at Stanford when reviewing guidance for maintaining a safe distance in restrooms.

As noted in a previous Provost's communication, "we are trying to provide an all-gender restroom option in every building; that will mean in some cases that restroom facilities will change in order to prioritize the goal of campus-wide gender inclusion."

Below is guidance to assist you in evaluating restrooms as part of the Cardinal Recovery Plan:

Single-Occupancy Restrooms

  • All single-occupancy restrooms should have a locking mechanism at the entry to the facility and be identified as All-Gender. The restroom should have permanent All-Gender Restroom signage per established signage standards.
  • During COVID Recovery, if a multi-occupancy gendered restroom (Men’s and Women’s) will be temporarily designated as single-occupancy to ensure safe distancing practices, it should be considered single-occupancy and temporary All-Gender restroom signage should be added. View temporary all-gender restroom signage to be used during COVID Recovery. 
  • While the established guidelines for single-use, all-gender restrooms define them as having a locking mechanism at the entry to the space, it is important to note that during this time of transition we want to ensure maximum usability and choice for restroom use. For this reason, no additional locks or privacy partitions are required to be installed during this temporary transition.
  • Building managers should consider additional signage and communication during any conversion of multi-occupancy gendered restrooms to single-occupancy, all-gender restrooms. This could include a sign at the door (occupied; unoccupied) or asking as a best practice that people knock prior to entering.
  • Wheelchair-accessible restroom stalls should be maintained as such at all times. Temporary signage must reflect the accessibility of the restroom.

Multi-Occupancy All-Gender Restrooms During COVID

In an effort to create more restroom choices, if a building does not have an all-gender restroom option, it is strongly encouraged that space is made available. Building managers should ensure an equal number of men’s, women’s and all-gender restrooms are available within a building. Below is some additional guidance for these spaces:

  • At least one men's and one women's restroom per building should be temporarily reassigned as all-gender restrooms, with an equal number of men’s and women’s restrooms reassigned as all-gender.
  • As a best practice, no building occupant should have to go up or down more than one floor to use the restroom of their choice. For example, in a three-story building with two restrooms per floor, the 1st floor restrooms could be designated as women's and all-gender (formerly men's), the 2nd floor could remain men's and women's and the 3rd floor could be designated as a men's and all-gender (formerly women's).
  • During COVID Recovery, if a multi-occupancy gendered restroom (Men’s and Women’s) will be temporarily designated as an All-Gender restroom, temporary All-Gender Restroom signage should be added (link to temporary signage).
  • While the established guidelines for multi-occupancy, all-gender restrooms require enhanced locking mechanisms and privacy panels at individual stalls, it is important to note that during this time of transition we want to ensure maximum usability and choice for restroom use. For this reason, no additional locks or privacy partitions are required to be installed during this temporary transition.
  • If a restroom contains a changing table, it should be prioritized to be temporarily converted to an all-gender restroom.
  • Any restroom temporarily converted to an all-gender restroom should include a waste receptacle in the restroom stall.
  • Building managers should consider additional signage and communication during any conversion of multi-occupancy gendered restrooms to multi-occupancy, all-gender restrooms.
  • Wheelchair-accessible restroom stalls should be maintained as such at all times. Temporary signage must reflect the accessibility of the restroom.
  • If a men's restroom is temporarily converted to a multi-use all-gender restroom, it is recommended that any non-privacy-latching urinals be taken off-line.
  • If there is a non-privacy-latching shower in a men's or women's restroom that is temporarily converted to a multi-use all-gender restroom, it is recommended that it be taken off-line.

Additional Resources

It is important to note that All-Gender Restrooms increase overall restroom availability for all building occupants. Building managers and Cardinal Recovery Teams are strongly advised to familiarize themselves with information about all-gender restrooms and utilize existing resources as needed in order to increase restroom choice on campus.

FAQs for All-Gender Restrooms at Stanford

Map of existing All-Gender Restroom locations

The Diversity and Access Office is available to provide consultation to building managers related to specific building needs and options. Funding may be available to convert gendered restrooms to all-gender restrooms in zone-managed buildings. Please contact equalopportunity@stanford.edu or (650) 725-0326.