As business owners, when creating inclusive spaces, you can’t just stand still—you’ve gotta walk the walk. Even when walking to the washroom.

why your space should have an everyone washroom

We love chatting with companies and business bigwigs about how they’re making their cultures more inclusive. Taking those steps is crucial, but it’s the overall progress that really matters. When businesses believe they have done all they can do and have reached that metaphorical inclusion finish line, this is when we see them experience missed opportunities. Not having an ‘everyone’ or gen-neutral washroom in your professional space, is more than a missed opportunity. It’s inequitable, making all of your good intentions around being inclusive and welcoming, fall short.

Scenario

We asked a former event location manager about their gen-neutral washrooms.

They shared with us how their public space is always welcoming when it comes to washrooms.  While they do not have an ‘everyone washroom,’ we were assured the organization’s onsite staff would never deny anyone’s right to use the washroom of their choice.

It was through this ideology, the event organizer concluded that having ‘everyone washroom’ signage put in place during a PRIDE event, would not be necessary. This decision sparked a lively conversation. Our advice: consider that the inclusive spirit of the event should be reflected in every aspect, including the restroom signage, to ensure that everyone felt welcome and comfortable.

But there was another major point they were missing.

What did they assume?

• They were assuming their personnel wouldn’t prevent someone from using the washroom of their choice.
• They missed considering that another patron of the public space might.

This is when I suggested we examine the ideology through a new lens.

Beyond Binary Lens

Inclusion takes more than inclusive people, i.e. staff, employees, contractors.  There are verbal and non-verbal skills and tools which we all need to have in our Inclusion Tool Kit. Infrastructure like accessible spaces, inclusive signage, and gen-neutral washrooms, are part of this equation.

Non-Verbal

It is essential to ensure your personnel are equipped to handle sticky situations. An example might be when members of the public act in an exclusionary or unsafe manner. Having the procedures in place and communicated clearly to all staff is essential.

Moreover, infrastructure plays a crucial role in fostering inclusion. Accessible spaces, like those designed with different abilities in mind, are key in creating an environment where everyone can fully participate. This includes practical considerations like providing gender-neutral bathrooms to ensure that individuals of all gender identities feel comfortable and accommodated.

Don’t Fall Short

By recognizing and addressing these broader aspects of inclusion, we can work towards creating environments that are welcoming to all. Falling short happens when a business or organization has the appearance of being inclusive, without the actionable tools that make inclusion effective. 

Inclusion is more than just including diverse people in a group. It also involves using communication skills and tools to make everyone feel valued and respected. The idea of an “Inclusion Tool Kit”, which SGF Inclusion provides in our equity and inclusion training programs, is particularly essential, as it focuses on fulfilling the need for equipping our teams with the necessary attitudes, knowledge, and practices to foster an inclusive environment.

‘The walk’ is ensuring you’re actually being welcoming of ‘everyone’; transgender and non-binary people alike. To achieve ‘the walk’, here are my Top 3 Tips for building welcoming, safe and inclusive washrooms and facilities:

Top 3 steps for Intentional Inclusion and gen-neutral bathrooms

1. Signage: Having visible signage outside all of your washrooms shows patrons you have expectations around behaviour within these spaces. It sets a tone and provides a baseline expectation for those using your facilities.  The tone is: everyone is welcome here and we expect patrons to be welcoming and accepting as well, when they are using our space.  It also delivers an important message to transgender and non-binary people that inclusion is important to your organization and provides a clue that there are supportive measures in place to ensure ones safety and dignity. It says, ‘You matter.’
2. Policy: What happens if a member of the public shames an individual because they feel that person doesn’t belong in that space? Here is a short list of questions to ask about your staff/team?
   • Does your staff have the tools and language confidence to be able to address the situation with professionalism and poise? 
   • Are they aware of their workplace policies and trained properly? 
   • Are these policies aligned with Human Rights policies in Canada?
3. Communicate: By communicating your policies effectively, you are going beyond the ‘idea’ of being inclusive and you’re actually working to create that inclusive space you’re advertising.
   • Front desk staff? “Welcome to __________, enjoy your time here and please know all of our washrooms are welcoming of everyone.”
   • Visible representation: Is there a sticker or rainbow flag near your entrance? Are staffing wearing name tags with their pronouns? If not, consider why this policy is not in place and at what cost to your organization?

“Walk” the skills and keep them moving.

The specific relevant content for this request, if necessary, delimited with characters: While employees may never deny someone using a washroom in your space, it isn’t the staff that is often the concern, i.e the offender. It is the patrons; the gazes, body language, micro-aggressions, sideways looks and/or comments that powerfully eliminates someone’s dignity and diminishes their humanity.

Allyship is a verb – it is an action word. And everyone has to pee.

Related Post: BUSTING MYTHS AND SIMPLE STEPS FOR BUILDING TRANSGENDER INCLUSIVE

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Simply Good Form Inc. is based in K’jipuktuk/Halifax and works with public and private sectors across all industries to deliver measurable results, allowing individuals to thrive regardless of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.

Our team offers dynamic beyond binary content creation, facilitation and learning tools produced by professionals with lived experiences.

Cynthia Sweeney (she/her) is Founder/Principle of Simply Good Form Inc. and specializes in beyond binary inclusion education with more than 20 years experience in client services and communications. She is the parent of a transgender youth and volunteer director with PRIDE Lunenburg County and Pflag Halifax. Is is the Co-Founder of two monthly support groups for parents and caregivers of trans and non-binary youth and co-host of Hey, Cis! podcast.