Austin City Council to consider requiring gender-neutral bathrooms
By Marty Toohey, Austin American-Statesman | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Using that logic, Riley and two council colleagues think
It is intended to extend city protections for transgendered people, for whom "gendered restroom facilities can present uncomfortable and even dangerous situations," according to a resolution from Riley and Council Members Sheryl Cole and
The change wouldn't apply to bathrooms with multiple stalls. The multistall facilities at
But any restroom with one stall -- say, a bathroom at the back of a bar, or a single-seater at a city park -- would have to be available to any gender. In some cases, that could shorten the wait, and it also could make it easier for a parent or caregiver helping someone of the opposite gender.
"In my mind, this is basic and straightforward," Riley said at a Tuesday council workshop. "Really, we're just extending the concept (in home bathrooms) to public restrooms."
Thursday's vote would be a first step. If council members say yes, the city staff would be required to meet with various groups and draft the ordinances that would make the change official, perhaps bringing it back to the council by late September.
That is time and effort that would be better spent on other issues, said
"We have more important things to deal with," Borgelt said. "I do not understand why this is an issue. There's just nothing in our laws ... that give us a 100 percent right to be 100 percent comfortable all the time."
Riley's resolution states the city would be continuing its goal of protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents. As gay rights have gained wider acceptance nationally,
Leffingwell said several other issues must be sorted out before he supports an ordinance. He said the city worked with the Austin Gay and
"Mainly small businesses will be affected," Leffingwell said, wondering aloud if office buildings that aren't open to the public have to comply with the change. (The question hasn't been settled.)
"There is a lot of misunderstanding about what (the proposal) is, and what it is not," Leffingwell said. "I think some of the intent ... needs to be communicated."
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Also on the agenda
--A discussion on creating the city's own booking facility for criminal suspects instead of using the Travis County Central Booking Facility.
--A more ambitious green energy plan for Austin Energy to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030.
--A proposed ban on texting or operating other electronic devices while driving or bicycling.
--A proposal for staff to develop a
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